



\v 



■'> /\:-'>fm'y°^c^'-¥m' /\ --m^' /°-. •!i^' /-% 








,0^ 



^ c^^.v^.;,'.'^ ^^..-^-^"^ ^-a^"^ .^ 



• • ?■ — 



'Vij-''-"" ..q^ 






» . , 1 










■> 









> - ■'■■'■ ■-*'- "*■ ■ 






..\ 



•6 \ *«^. 



/.V^JTV*. 



'^<-o 



r> 



^^' 



"-^ 



^V->^. 



i-J-" 






.0' 



?►" 'V 






•J- 



-/• 






.•.\ 



^-..A- 



^U 



^; 






■=.- 



,0^ 









•^^o'^ 



o 
o 



,<S' 



o > 



% 



■v^^- 






• • - » ' .t' 

V 

■r % 






...\^ 



A^ 






V 



•.^'»^ 






<■ 









-?■ 



'0^ 



^o. 



■.V .'.■' 






^.. 



.0^ 






^ 



z. 






^ 



7^^ 



•y- 



History of 

POMONA VALLEY 

California 

with 

Biogmi)hical Sketches 

of 

The Leadinij Men and Women of the \alley 

Wlio Have Been IcU-ntified Witli Its 

Growth and l)eveh>])nient from 

the Early Days to the 

Present 



ILLUSTRATED 

COMIM.KTK I\ (^SV. VOI.IMK 

HISTORIC RKCORl) COMl'ANV 
l.OS ANCKl.KS. CAL. 



r«/.^ 



M 



. Al 



8M 



r 



I© 



COXTKXTS 



CHAPTER ONE 

MI'.XIC.W IMONEERS 3.^ 

First X'lsrr ui- Tahimakks and \'i:.iar to tiik San Josk N'aluky — Tin-: Grant 

FROM GOVKRNOR AlVARAIK) — Sa\ JdSK DaY — SlRVKV AND LifJUXDARIK S oK 

THE Rancho Sax Iosk. 



CHAPTER TWO 
LIFE OX THE RAXCHOS IX IFIE FORI'IES .... 41 

OCCI'PATION OF TIIK RaNCIKi IIV I'ALOM \Ki:s AND \'i:jAR l-.\MlLli:s — lIoMlC l,ll"i: 

IN THE Hacie.vdas — Tin-: Mission of S.\n Gauriel — ISrancii Missk'N .\t 
San Bernardino — Indians of the X'alley — Story of IjI'Ried Treaslri-; — 
Grants Adjoin km. the Kanciio San Jose — Henry Dalton and .\zrsA — 
Don .\ntonio Li'co and the Chino — La Piente Rancho — The Rdw- 

LANDS AND WcRKXIANS DesCRII'TKIN .\NI) PARTITION liF THE RaNCIHi SaN 

Jose — Connections with the World CX'Tside — ^The War of 184') — • 
Battle of thi: Chinh Ranch IlmsE — Tin: Gold 1'"ever. 



CHAPTER THREE 

THE Ul ARIER CEX 11 R^ 1 OELOWIXC; IHE 
CESSION OF CALIFORXIA TO THE UNITED 
STATES 6^' 

Willow Grove. Lexinc.tox and Monte — Early Settlers and Life at El 
Monte — Becinnincs t)F Spadra — Schlesinc.icr and Tischler P'oreclusire 
— Uiris Phillips and His Ranch — 'I'he RrnoTTd.MS at Spadra — The 
Fryers and Other Settlers — The Overland Stac.e — Bttterfield and 
HoLLiDAv — The Stac.e at Spadra — Death of Hilliakd P. Dorsev — Other 
Tragedies — Kewen Dorses . 



CONTENTS- Continued 



CHAPTER FOUR 

THE SPANISH SETTLEMENT AT SAN JOSE' HILLS 89 

CvRus Bi'KnicK, THE Pioneer of Pomona — Revolutionary Forp.ears — Over- 
land JouRNEv — Residence at San Gabriel — Earthquakes — Removal to 
San Josii Valley — First Orange Grove — Mexican Life at the Spanish 
Settlement — Passing of the Early Generation — Children of Ygnacio 
Palomares — The \'ejar Families — The Ygnacio Alvarado House and 
Its Activities — The Indians — The First School and Its Teacher, P. C. 
Tonner — First Schoolhouse — Tonner the Teacher — Tonner the Stu- 
dent AND Poet — Sweet San Jose — The Loop and AIeserve and Other 
Early Tracts of the San Tose De Ariba. 



CHAPTER FIVE 

BEGINNINGS OF POMONA U3 

Coming of the Railroad — Tonner-IU'kdick-Palomares Contracts — Los An- 
geles Immigration and Land Cooper^^tive Association — The New Town 
OP Pomona — Public School — Collapse of the L. A. I. and L. C. A. — 
Pomona Land and Water Company- — The Boom — Po.m(i\a in 1882 and 
1885 — Constable Slanker and Other Old-Timers. 



CHAPTER SIX 

WATER, LIGHT AND POWER LS5 

Three Sources of Water — Old Settlement \\'ater — Canyon Water — 
Artesian Wells — Water Companies — Tunnels — Conservation — Elec- 
tric Light and Power. 



CHAPTER SEVEN 

INDUSTRIES OF THE VALLEY 145 

Spadra, Puente and the Grain Country — Spadra After the Railway — 
James M. Fryer, F. M. Slaughter and Senator Currier — -Vineyard and 
Orchard — Viticulture — Deciduous Fruits — Olive Culture — Oranges 
and Lemons — Cooperative ^Iarketing — Business and Manufacture — 
Pomona Manufacturing Company — Business — Banks. 



COXTKXTS-Continucd 



CIIAPTKR KKiirr 

SOCTAI , 1\ ri:i.I.KCTL'AI. A\D SPIRITUAI, 1,1 1-K 

OF POMONA 1^'^ 

Education — Poxiona Schools i-k(iM 1875 — Hic.iikk Eiu'cation — Chikchks and 
Riaicious LiFK — Early Condition's — Catholic. Baptist, EpiscorAi, Mktii- 
ODiST. Christian. Prksuvtkrian and Concriccational Ciukciiks — Fra- 

TKRNITIKS — XlCWSl'Al'KRS — PoMONA TiMKS PoMONA PROGRKSS — TlIK RE- 
VIEW AND Other Papers — Plblic Lhjrary — Social Life in Pomona. 



CHAPTKR XIXE 

I'OMOXAS ML.MCIPAI. LIFE 17! 

Incorporation and Liquor P'ight — P>ei"ore Incorporation — The Great Issue 
— Drl'nkenness — The Conflict — Chi.nese Prchlem — Othi:r I^ripiu.ems 
AND Contests — The Murchison Letter — Mi-nicii'al Solidaritv. 



CHAPTER TEN 

THE FOOTHILL cm ES ALONG THE SANIA IE . 177 

Coming of the Sa.nta Fe — Railri>aii .\cTivniES — Boo.\i of Xew Tii\vnsiti:s — 
Effect of Santa Fe on Shutiiekn Pacific and Pomona — La X'erne. 
LoRDsnuRG AND La \'er.\e College — San Dimas — Mud Sprin<'.s — Canyo.v 
Settlers — The Teagues — Mound City Land and Water .Association — 
San Jose Ranch Company — Water Co.mpanies and Litigation — Citrus 
Industry — Growth of San Di.m.ss — Charter ().\k — Claremont and 
Pomona College — The Bimi.m and Its Collapse — Indians and Wilds of 
THE Desert — T(k'Ts Martin — Pi;tek Flemin<. — I'.ei.innini.s of Pomona 
College — Claremont I!i/si.\ess .vnd Citrus Fruits — School and Church. 



INCONCLLSION 20.1 



I X I) I : X 



Page 

A 

Aborn. Mrs. Ida E 720 

Adams. Frank E 2''.? 

Adams, John S 510 

AdamsDH, John E J?2() 

Afflcrbaugh, Clinton Bertram.... bl2 

Allard, Joseph A.. Jr 748 

Alter, Charles H., D.D.S 812 

Anderson. Daniel Walter 7.?2 

Arbuthnot, Daniel G 493 

Armour, Elmer Eugene 314 

Arnold, William Henry 404 

Augustine, \'ictor Curtis 730 

Avis, .Americus Benezctte 519 

Avis. Walter Moore 391 

B 

Bailey. Ira D 704 

Baker, Abram 371 

Baker, Charles D 489 

Baker, X'incent W., D.D.S 626 

Baldwin. Frank H 541 

Baltour. Frank W 504 

Bangle. Ethan G 604 

Bartlett, William Henry 298 

Baumgardner, Welcome A 534 

Bayer, Charles Phillip 742 

Ba\ nham, Joseph J 335 

Bcalc, Henry W 567 

Beck. Albert Allen 506 

Beck, Samuel Sanders 324 

Belcher, Harry T 751 

Bennett, James Stark 813 

Bichowsky, Emmo C 701 

Billheimer, Jr)hn S 528 

Blaisdcll. James .Arnold. D.D M)h 

Blatz, Frederick A 814 

Blickenstaff, Lynn A 707 

Booth, Charles J 705 

Booth, Elmer E 564 

Bowden, Jere C 816 

Bowcn, Frederick W 632 

Bouen, John Carson 599 



Page 

Bowen, John F 477 

Bern ler. William W .W3 

Boviinan, [unathan \' 331 

Boyd, Sydney R 746 

Brackett, Frank Parkhurst, M..A.. . 254 

Bradlev. Edward D 695 

Bright. H. Verner 7.?9 

Brooks, Ernest 499 

Brooks, John Tinlcy 458 

Brown. Harry P 559 

Brubakcr. Henr.\ J. and John B. . . 685 
Br\ant, DeWitt Clinton. .A..M.. 

.\l.D 414 

Buckncr, Rev. Walter C 691 

Bulla. Quincv A 615 

Burr. Rollin T., .M.D 234 

C 

Calkins, Benjamin E 757 

Camers, Jacob 749 

Camp, [ohn Bradford 520 

Campbe'll, J. E 708 

Carson, Walter Scott 227 

Carter, Rov H 817 

Catelli, Frank 818 

Chain, Charles H U2 

Clapp, Stacv W.. D.D.S 712 

Clark, Charles ^11 

Clark, C. Ralph 810 

Clark, Llovd R 709 

Clark, Ralph S 793 

Clark, Rev. Stephen Cutter. Jr... 759 

Clarke. Joseph C ". . . . 798 

Clifton. Samuel B 282 

Coates. Thomas, M.D 288 

Cogswell, Capt. Franklin ^28 

Cole, Cvrus H 698 

Collins. David H 275 

Colvin, Joseph 1 397 

Condit, Albert P 726 

Coon, William R 521 

Corbeil, 'I'heophile 337 

Crank, F, DcWitt. M.D 248 



INDEX- 
Page 

Cniwtord, llciiT\ M 745 

Cree, Ira j 711 

Crookshank, I)a\ id C 383 

Cumberland. Julian F 480 

Curran, Charles P 522 

Currier, Hon. .Alvan T\ ler 211 

Curry, Da\ i.i \V 471 

D 

David and Margaret Hdine tor 

Children 704 

Davis, Ferdinand 631 

Davis, Henry B 639 

Davis, Walter T 723 

Dav, Eduv IVI 398 

Deere, J. Harvey, B.A., D.D 721 

Dehnel, Joseph Severns 796 

Dewey, Harold C 640 

Dillman, George 297 

Dole, James Albert 269 

Doughty, William Clyde 680 

DouH, Albert P 763 

Doutt, Mace B 725 

Doyle, Patrick W 283 

Dovolos, John 760 

Duffy, Maj. Homer Leo 768 

Durward, Arthur, A.M 625 

Duvall, t)li\er Har\ey 766 

E 

Eakin Brothers 727 

Eakin, Charles M 727 

Eakin, Freeman M 727 

Earle, Ethan H 388 

Eells, Francis Clark 622 

Elliott. Joseph 526 

Elliott, Leslie L 698 

Ellsworth, Fred E. and F'rank E.. 515 

Ercanbrack, William S 622 

Evans, Frank C .- 527 

Evans. John P 642 

F 

Fender, John A 341 

F"erree, Ernest I) 700 

Ferrell, James G 672 

Ferrell, Louis 771 

Ferry, William 653 

Fich, Bertram 659 

F'itch, Joseph A 606 



. — Continued 

Page 

I'lemuig, Edward J 253 

F'leming, Miss Minerva C 552 

Fleming, Peter 302 

Fleming, William T 432 

F'oote, William Burr 741 

Forbes, John J 551 

Ford, Seiden 1 434 

Forester, George Wilmont, M.D. 589 

F"oster, Herbert Clare 512 

Fowkes, Alfred M 769 

Fox, Capt. Charles J 532 

Fox, William A 501 

Fredendall, Earl 770 

F'revermuth, Harr\- W 571 

Fritz, William O.'. 703 

Frver, James M 218 

Fulton." James W 281 

Fulton. Samuel M 801 

Funkhouser, William E 621 

G 

Gammon, Edward H 694 

Ciapp, fohn C 655 

Garcelon, Frank, M.D 279 

Garrett, Judge W. A 425 

Garrison, Christopher H 805 

Garthside, loseph Relton 250 

Gates, Clyde A 773 

Gates, W. B 651 

Geer, Francis Heman, M.D 610 

Gerrard, Albert Campbell 747 

Gibson, Bertram W 803 

Gillen, Edward E 525 

Gillette, Charles V 516 

Gilman, Herbert S 791 

Goettsche, John 468 

Gore, Thomas E 802 

Gray, Ralph E 675 

Greaser, Charles E 716 

Griswold, George C. B.L., Ph.D.. 574 

H 

Hall. Orin J 656 

Hamilton, William Wright 804 

Hanawalt, Harvey M 800 

Hansen, Hans B 338 

Hansen, Jacob P 710 

Hanson, Harry 669 

Hanson, Mrs. Marie A 669 

Hardon, Charles H 426 



IN 



Hardy. Ormal G 

Harrison, Thomas 

Hart, Elmer W.. LL..M 

Hartman, Fred \V 

Harwood, Frank H 

Hatha\va>, Jefferson M 

Haugh, Prof. Benjamin S 

Heath, Col. George 

Henzie, Edward A 

Hickman, Frank A 

Hill. Alton B 

Hinman, Elliott 

Hinman, Harr\' H 

Hitchcock, George Gale 

Hoover, William 1. T.. Ph.D. 

Hough, Jesse \V 

Howard, Horace E 

Hudson, Rev. Charles R 

Huff, Charles C 

Hume, James 

Hunter, John H 

Huston, Rov 



DEX- 
Page 

795 
75 S 
385 
744 
808 
M)\ 
bOO 
257 
743 
620 
410 
•372 
625 
5 60 
6211 
784 
780 
706 
445 
464 
b7() 
710 



I 



Inwood, Rev. Alfred 731 

Izer, Elmer E 588 



Jacobs, F"red C 531 

Jerde, Edward B 554 

Johnson. Cassius C 4'.)8 

Johnson, James Dixon 756 

Johnson, William Ellis 786 

Johnstone, \V'illiam Arthur 502 

Jones, Cyrus W 750 

Jones, George E 73 1 

K 

Kaltenbeck, Fred 500 

Keiser. Edwin T 407 

Kciser, John Wilford 5ii 

Keiser. Oscar G 538 

Kelly. Elmer Ellsworth, M.I) 733 

Kenned) . William .A 737 

Kepner. Shcllburn .M 781 

Kettelle. Herbert C. D.D.S 736 

Kiler, William H 448 

Klein. Philip G . . 435 

Klinzman. I>ouis Carl 537 

Knight, Frank W 724 



Continued 

Page 

Knox, Reginald 1 728 

Krehbiel, Henr.\ A 505 

Kuns, Henr\' l^eBosquette 430 

Kuntz, Charles 266 

L 

Eamont, James W 542 

l.amb, mVs. Elizabeth 381 

Laughlin, Joseph 'F ?07 

Lavars, Harry J 737 

Lawrence, Edgar A 2t>4 

Lee, Alonzo W 272 

Lee, Ira A 502 

Lee, John Henr\ 327 

Levengood, E. J 544 

Lewis. Fred R 430 

Lewis, Jerry N 549 

Lewison, Lewis 378 

Lichty, Arthur Millard 570 

Lorbeer, Carl H 575 

Lorbcer, Charles Augustus 236 

Loucks, Richard N 630 

Ludden, Jerome A 572 

Lussier, Joseph 616 

Lyter. Albert William 573 

M 

.McCain. Nelson Grant 734 

McCannel. Mrs. Flora 547 

McCom.is. J. E.. Hon 238 

McCom.is, Mrs. Emma 238 

McGannon. Alfred 1 707 

Mclntire, Samuel \\' 702 

McLeod. fohn A =^47 

Mc.Mullin. Wm. W 433 

Mackenzie, Daniel 635 

Manley, Mrs. Sylvia Lucile Powers 323 

ALnnning. Herman L 687 

^L■lpcl. .\Lirion 686 

ALirtin. WiUi.im M 688 

Martin, William 'F 355 

.\Lison, John W 557 

.\Litthews, Lee R 454 

Mav. Clement Robert 786 

ALay, Hal 807 

Meredith, Lewis C ^()2 

.Mcserve, AKin Rand 441 

.Metz, .Mitchell K 700 

.Middleton, Carl W 702 

.Midgley, Charles ^50 



INDEX- 
Page 

Miller, George W 799 

Mills, Lindsay M 779 

Minnich, Lerov 451 

Mishler, Harry 440 

Mitchell, Allen G 694 

Mitchell, James M 361 

Moore, George R 553 

Morris, Chester J 753 

Morton, Rohert Lee 649 

Mosher, f>ank D 674 

Mullen, Joseph 689 

Myers, Mrs. Myra 461 

N 

Neibel, Ira L 436 

Neilly, P. J 782 

Newcomer, Paul W., M.D 693 

Nichols, Allen P 271 

Norcross, Hobert F 558 

Norton, Willis A 313 

Nunneley, Ferris J 778 

o 

Oglivie, William M 713 

Osgoodby, Andrew 258 

Osgoodbw George 258 

Otto, Charles E 785 

P 

Paige, Joseph Morgan 511 

Palmer, Edwin T 289 

Palmer, Frank Fletcher 624 

Palmer, Frank L 318 

Pallett, Mrs. Mary Jane 446 

Palomares, Jose Dolores 217 

Palomares, Porfirio 222 

Park, Schuyler Howard 609 

Parsons, Cyrus Mason 690 

Patten, Mrs. Frances Ada 22i 

Patterson, Tillman W 644 

Pease, Edmund Morris, Rev 452 

Penn, Warren 754 

Persons, Dennis L 455 

Petty, Moses 403 

Phillips, Louis 215 

Pierce, Himon N 294 

Pierson, Joseph Christmas 410 

Pirdy, Adelbert J 679 

Piatt, George C\ ril 788 

Plush, William 259 



Continued 

Page 

Poling, Ira W 636 

Pomona Fixture & Wiring Co. . . . 750 

Porter, David C. W 665 

Porter, Frank B 670 

Potter, Mark H 614 

Pratt, Harrv S 548 

Presnell, William H 717 

R 

Rambo, J. Frank 750 

Reed, Henrv M 276 

Reid, William 442 

Reimers, Justus 500 

Reynolds, Henry Presley, B.S 457 

Ricciardi, Philip L 752 

Rice, Miss Flora A 787 

Richards, Addison W 456 

Riley, Patrick 233 

Ring, Miss Alice B 666 

Ritter, Frederick W 696 

Robbins, Homer E., Ph.D 776 

Robertson, John G 663 

Robinson, Frank C 652 

Romick, John W 290 

Ruth, Theodore 237 

Rutty, Luman 650 

S 

Sanborn, Carlton H 634 

Scorield, Ira 568 

Scofield, Miss ALiie E 568 

Seaver, Carlton 312 

Sederholm, E. Theodor 587 

Sevmour, Miss Alice M.. ., 585 

Shafer, Walter 308 

Shaw, Edward D 353 

Sheehv, Rev. John J 560 

Sheets, L. E 809 

Shepherd, B. Chaffey 758 

Shettel, Walter A 811 

Shewman, John 662 

Shirk, Frank M., M.D 671 

Shoemaker, J. Ralph 681 

Silva, Morgan P 810 

Slanker, Frank Oscar 349 

Smart, Thaddeus 605 

Smead, Franklin 568 

Smith, B. Lillian, M.D., D.0 674 

Smith, Frederick J 295 

Smith, Lewis N 613 



INDEX- 
Pagc 

Smith. Ralph. M.I) 699 

Smith. T. Hardv. M.D 284 

Smith. William Hi-nry 714 

Somerville. William D 777 

Spalding, Miss Phebc EstcUe. 

Ph.D bll 

Sparks, Marcus L 287 

Spencc. Mrs. Cornelia A 332 

Spencer. Charles G 597 

Stahlman. Edward G 755 

Steinruck. Bernard G 061 

Steves. Thurman J 578 

Stine, Rollie A 772 

Stone, Charles M 22b 

Storment, John C 806 

Stoughton. Arthur \'., M.D 652 

Stout. B. P.. Prof 775 

Stover, William Willard 596 

Straley, Elmer 368 

Strong, Nathan E 249 

Studer. Robert 594 

Sumner, Charles Edward 462 

Swank, Amzi S 673 

T 

Tate, Albert Edward 472 

Taylor. Albert L 232 

league. David Clinton 375 

Teague, Jasper N 4iM 

Teague. Robert M 3^'^> 

Tcitsworth, Hugh S 735 

Thatcher. Hugh A 543 

Thomas. Anson C 745 

Thomas, Edward Walter 598 

Thompson. Kirk W 619 

riuirman, Monroe 467 

Todd & Patterson 644 

Todd, Walter B 644 

Tolton. D. Mat 774 

Travis. G. Luther 593 

Trimmer, Scott 473 

Trotter, Thomas Ross 416 

True, William S 305 

Tuller, Louis B 495 

Tvler, George R 641 

Tyler, John L.. AM)., V.S 591 

u 

Ulcrv. Howard E 633 



Continued 

Page 

V 

N'andegritt, W'illiam A.. Hon 474 

\'cjar, Abraham H !>^i^ 

\'ejar, Ignacio C) 577 

Vejar, Jose H 4'lll 

X'ejar, Ramon 213 

vv 

Walcott. Herbert E 478 

Walker. James W 5o3 

Waters, Arthur E 600 

Waters, George H 480 

Weaver. Ered D 729 

Weber, John 317 

Weigle, George J 479 

Weineke, Morris Randolph 490 

Welch, Everett Haskell 344 

Wells, Jasper T 7o2 

Westerman, Mrs. Ellen D 319 

Westgate, Harry B 70 1 

Whaley, Guy V 581 

Wheelan, Richard Barrett 367 

Wheeler, Edward Myron 004 

Wheeler, Frank....! 738 

White, Caleb 231 

White, Francis Harding, Ph.D... 715 

\V'hite. Harr\- Randolph ^44 

White. Ira F. 387 

White, John J 205 

White, ALibel E.. D.0 088 

White, Robert 040 

White, Ulvsses E 429 

Whitehead, J. Moses 420 

Whiting. Asa G 346 

Whvtc. Fred E 054 

Williams, Henrv H 2b3 

Williams. Thomas A 394 

Wiltberger. Miss L 082 

Witman. George B 704 

Wittenmyer, George H 043 

Wood. William Stanley 705 

Woodford. B. A .U^) 

Wyman. Francis G 7o7 

Y 

\()rba, PorHrio J 423 

^'undt. Emcr\ Roscoc 7411 

z 

Zander. Milton W 71H 



A Brief Earl\- History 

» * 

of the 

SAN JOSK RANCHO 

and its Suhsequcnt Cities 

Pomona, San Dimas, Clarcmont, 
La Verne and Spadra 



Prepared hy 

F. P. BRACKETT 



Copyright Applied for 
by F. P. Brackctt 




^^^ 



/^ /^b^ C-C-<_--<il^-^y/\ 



niSTOHIAX S IXTHODICTIOX 

Two facts should be noted concerning this liistory. 

First: Tlie story of the \'allcy is entirely indeiK-ndent of the biograjjliic;'.! 
section of the book, the author having nothing to do with the writing or selection 
of the biographical sketches, nor with the publishing or financing of the book. 

Second. The story deals only with the corly history of the \alley. It does 
not include the later history at all. save as certain elements of the jiast naturally 
continue into the present. This course is re(|uire(l by the limitations of the con- 
tract and of the author's time, and is justified by the greater interest of readers 
in the story of the early days, and by the infelicity of attempting the impossible 
task of depicting in proper pers])ective the story of recent years. 

Persuaded by many that the writing of this history was in some sense a duty 
to the region, the writer accepted the responsibility with much misgiving. He 
could only have assented to it with the assurance of assistance from older resi- 
dents and organizations, and especially with the earnest co-operation of his wife, 
Lucretia Brackett, daughter of Cyrus Burdick, the pioneer, and her mother. The 
author is grateful to many others, too numerous to mention here, who have cor- 
dially rendered assistance in answering inquiries and furnishing material. 

It has seemed wise to omit the- long list of more than a hundred historical 
and biographical works and documents consulted. Many of these have been 
found in the Los .\ngeles I'ublic Library, in the Pomona \'alley Historical Col- 
lection at the Pomona Public Library, and in the Mason Collection of the Pomona 
College Library. Harris Xewmark's "Sixty Years in Southern California" has 
of course been referred to frequently. In the supplying of material, sjjecial men- 
tion must be made of Senor Ramon X'ejar, and his son and daughter, Frank and 
Estella; of Kewen Dorsey, old-time resident of Spadra : of F. P. Firey and l'. E. 
White of the Pomona Valley Historical Society; of A. I', and II. J. Nichols and 
F. J. Smith of Pomona : and of Miss S. M. Jacobus of the Pomona Public Library. 
The writer is under obligations, for many valuable suggestions, to Professor P. E. 
Spalding of Pomona College, who has kindly borne the burden of reading the 
story in the manuscript. 

The purpose throughout the narrative has been to present a true and vivid 
picture of the early life in the X'alley, necessarily incomplete, yet above all correct 
in the details presented. 

Notwithstanding the most generous extension of time by the publishers, the 
work has been done under such stress of pressure from other duties that it cammt 
be expected to be free from error. In order that it may serve as a foundation for 
later history, the author would welcome any corrections or additions to the story, 
that may be addressed to him. 

F. P. Brackictt, 

Pomona College. 

Claremont, California. 



HISTORICAL 

HISTORY' OF SAN JOSH R ANCIIO 

\W V. V. Hia.k.tl. MA. 



CHAPTER ONE 

MEXICAN PIONEERS 

First X'isit oi" Palom.srks and X'kjar to tiik San J(isk X'allkv — Tiiic Grant 
From Govkrnor Aiaarado — San Josi; Dw — SiRvr^v and I'-oundariks or 
Till-: Rancik) San Josk. 

A small party of horsemen stopped beneath the willows which grew lieside 
the little stream skirting the eastern point of the hills, in what is now Ganesha 
Park. Leaving the San Gabriel Mission at daybreak, they had ridden up the 
broad valley following the road or trail which led from the old Mission to its 
branch Mi>>ion at San Ilernardino. They had crossed the San Galjriel River 
among the tides near the camp that later came to be known as the Monte, and 
had followed the trail beside the low-lying hills which we now call the rucnte 
and San Jose hills. makiTig excursions now and then from the trail to climb the 
hills, until now they had come, toward siuisct, to this place at the eastern end 
of the hills where a generous stream (lowed around the point. Weary from the 
day's riding, tliey dismounted. P.y their fine mounts, riclily caparisoned in silver 
and figured leather, and by their own inii forms, as well as by their commanding 
presence, two of the men were evidently Mexican officers. Piesidcs the half 
dozen soldiers accompanying them there were a number of Indian followers, who 
unsaddled the horses and watered them, gathering fuel and water for the cam]) 
and obeying the orders of their leaders. 

Knowing wlio these caballcros were and the time of the story, one may easily 
guess the subject of their conversation as they sat smoking by the camp fire, in 
the evening. P)Otli men were in the prime of early manhood. One at least traced 
his descent from a noble family in Spain. This one, the leader of the two, was 
^'gnacio Palomares. His father. Don Jose Cristolial. had come to Monterey 
during the Spanish era and had been loyal to the Crown of Spain in the days of 
Governor .\rrillaga and the later years when Pablo N'icentc de Siila, last of the 
line of Spanish governors in California, fought his losing fight to hold the new 
province for his own country, Spain, to which he was so loyal. The other 
caballero was Ricardo X'ejar. who. though born in San Diego, had become an 
intimate friend of Vgnacio Palomares during the years in which they had lived 
on the rancho "Rodeo de las .\guas" (near the present city of Hollywood ), espe- 
cially the years of this decade of the eighteen thirties. 

Tonight they would have talked about the cattle they had seen grazing over 
the plains, those remnants of the larger herds of the San Gabriel Mission that 

1 



34 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

used to roam the lower slopes of the valley all the way from the San Gabriel 
to San Bernardino. They would perhaps have referred to the Indian tribes 
(Sabobas, San Antonio, and San Gabriel Indians) that came down from the 
mountains at times to work for the Mission fathers in the valley and then returned 
to their native villages, unwilling to accept for long the life of civilization which 
the Mission offered them. Or, mindful of the more troublesome San Gorgonio 
tribe which would sometimes swoop down into the valley and run off cattle for 
their own use, they may have ordered their own Indians to guard their mounts 
with special care. And they must also have talked of their relations to the 
government at Monterey, for these were troublous times. Revolts and insurrec- 
tions had followed in quick succession during the dozen years or more since the 
revolution in Mexico under Iturbide had made California a province of Mexico. 
Arguello, licheandia, Victoria, Pio Pico, I'lgueroa, and now Jose Castro in turn 
had been governor of the province. Mexico was far away and the new govern- 
ment had changed hands almost as rapidly as that of the Province of California. 

Ygnacio Palomares and Ricardo Vejar, sons of loyal Spanish subjects, were 
not eager to yield allegiance to every victorious leader who might for the moment 
be in control of the provincial government. It was different in the old days of 
the Spanish regime. Arrillaga and Sola held their high positions directly for the 
Crown, and as such commanded the full devotion and service of their subjects, 
whether in Madrid or INIexico, whether in the outermost trading posts, in the 
Philippines, or in tlie even more inaccessible Province of California. But why 
.'should one pay tribute of property and time, and life perhaps, to a Carrillo or 
to other crafty and ambitious men? Victoria had been a brave captain — how 
fiercely he had fought at Los Angeles when, with a handful of men, he turned 
back the band of insurrectionists who gathered from the southern parts of the 
Province as far as San Diego ! And now Jose Castro was in command and 
doubtless he was lawfully entitled to their support. There must be a strong 
defense, a uniting of the people against adventurers like Bouchard and his party 
from Buenos Aires whom Arguello and his thirty men from the San Diego 
presidio, with the help of a band of Indians from San Luis Obispo under Father 
Martinez, bravely put to flight when they attempted to raid the Mission of San 
Juan Capistrano. , 

Certainly these caballeros, Palomares and Vejar, would have talked much of 
the large grants of land which the governors of California were making to the 
leading Mexicans of the Province. Not sucli princely domains as Pedro Pages 
and other Spanish governors had made to Verdugo, Dominguez, Nieto, Yorba 
and Arguello, imperial counties in extent and resource, but yet thousands of 
square leagues, where large estates might be established. There was Don Antonio 
Maria Lugo, so well known and popular, wliose services both to Spanish and 
Mexican governors had been rewarded by grants of large tracts of land. To be 
sure, he was a man of power and influence, a brave soldier and a prominent 
Spanish gentleman ; yet these caballeros, Palomares and Vejar, were also men 
of worth and had fought well for the government. Moreover, they believed 
that a request of the Commissioner Juan B. Alvarado would be favorably received. 
.A.nd the rich grazing land over which they had come during the afternoon was 
yet outside of the grants already made. Don Antonio Lugo, it was said, had 
petitioned for more land farther east, but this was still open and it seemed to 
be good grazing land. Plere by the hills the stream from the cienegas promised 
an abunflancc of water for stock. 




DON RICARDO V EJAR 




DON VGNACIO PALUMARES 



IIISTOKV AND l;l()(•■RAl'll^■ 35 

Aroiintiiij:; ihoir liorscs in tlic inorniiij^, tlie two crnsstd the >;irc:iiii and rode 
to tlic top of tlic Iiill, avoidini; tin' tliick i;ro\vth of cactus (»n tlic snntli ami cast 
and picking,' their way tlironi^li llic cliaparral of tlic canyon and slopes on the 
north side of the hill. Arrivini,' at the >-uniniit, a scene of wondrous heanly met 
their eyes. L.eaijiic upon league of virgin count')- lay helow them. I'a^l. tifirlli 
and south it stretched away, gently sloping toward the south, where rolling hills, 
carpeted with green, rose to the nearer horizon. ]""ar to the east the snowy 
masses of San Uernardino, San (inrgonici .iiid S.ni Jacinto glistened in the ri--ing 
sun. N(irthw;ird. hardly more than a h.alf hour's gallo]) away it seemed in the 
clear mountain air, the great mountains towered into the hhie sky, range tipon 
range, from the nearer foothills to the snow-c.ipped |)eaks which mark the lofty 
horizon. Vet hctween them and the northern foothills l;iy ;i great carpet thou- 
sanils of acres in extent, whose varie,t;ate(l colors Nature had woven with l;ivish 
hand, its warp of .sage hrush and chaparnd, its woof of wild llowers of every 
hue in unhroken profusion. .\nil this carjjct .stretched out to the hills all along 
the north, and northeasterly to the hi.t;h gray fan i^f lioulder land openin;^ out 
from the great canyon whose mountain walls led hack to San Antonio (vulgarly 
"Old Ualdy"). with its snow-capped head rising ahove all the rest. Mountain, 
canyon and wash tell of houndless reservoirs of water to su])plement the How 
of cienegas. 

Silting long u|ion their horses and drinking in the hcaiitv of this picture, 
the hearts ni these S()aniards must have thrilled as ihey thought, ".\ll this fair 
land helonged to Spain — to new S()ain now: and this IVovince of California, their 
native land — was there ever a f.iirer l;nirl than this:'" ^'et for nearlv three 
hundred years, since that Sunday in .August, \542. when Ju;in Rodriguez Cahrillo 
saileil into San Diego Kay and took possession of this whole lanil in the name of 
Spain, no one harl ever claimed this valley as his very own. The Indian trihes 
had hunted and fought ui)ou it. had huilt their jacalcs hy its streams, had u«-i] 
it all as they needed, even as they drank the water and hrealhed the air, with 
never a thought of onucrsliif'. For over sixty }ears the Hocks and herils of 
the San Gahriel Mission had grazed over the valley, yet neither church nor palre 
held any grant or title to its acres, .^o the resolve of these cahallcros was 
strengthened, their choice determined. They would jietition their friend the 
Commissioner .Mvarad') f<ir a grant of land here in this vallev anil over these 
hills. This desert land to the northeast covered with chaparral thev did not 
want, hut all the rest — cast, south and west — no heiter pasture land, thev thought, 
could he fouuil in all tlic world. And so it was. and their own herds and Hocks 
were soon to muhi))ly here on these plain>: hui little did they realize how lields 
of grain and alfalfa would rejilace the pasture lands: anrl still less did ihev 
dream that the waste of desert under the pnr[)le haze toward the motuitaips would 
some day be all clothed with green groves of orange and lemon, and that the 
raising of stock for hides ami tallow anr| the growing of harlex- and wheal for 
grain would soon he sui)planted hy ;in iiichi^trv f.ir surpassing these and entirely 
transforming the valley, even as the new race ^houlil hring a new civilization to 
displace the old. 

In <lue time the petition of ralomares and \'ejar was granted. Thev were 
given two sipiare leagues of land which they might lay off in the valley east 
of F.l Monte and lying to the west of the arrtjyo which runs south from the San 
Antonio Canyon. Their dream was lo come true, their amhilions to he realized. 
They woidd huild their homes heside the stream in the heantiful valley south 



36 IIISTOKV AND UIOGRAPHY 

of t]ie great mountains, and their sheep and cattle would range the broad plains 
below. They would go out with their families and take possession ; they would 
mark oft the boundaries and select their homesites. And it should be no ordinary 
occasion, for it was the beginning of a new life for them and all their families; 
the priest would go with them and bless their undertakings. So a day was 
selected and the little party rode out, first to the Mission San Gabriel, where 
Padre Zalvideo joined them, and then on to the valley of promise. 

In the establishment of the Missions and during the earlier decades of their 
work, neither the Franciscans, under whose order they were planted, nor the 
Spanish gt)vernment, had encouraged the building of towns nor the planting of 
large private estates which would be removed from the immediate control of 
Church or State. The plans of Jose Galvez had contemplated two objectives : 
the christianizing of the Indians and the gathering of revenue for the Crown. 
Colonization in its broader sense was no part of the scheme. The Missions with 
their thousands of native neophytes, the communities clustered about them, and 
the great estates tributary to them, embodied the activity and service of the Church 
and were the fulfilment of its ambitions. 

The presidios of San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Uiego were the head- 
c|uarters of the military forces of the government. From these stations as 
centers fared forth the little guards set to defend the Missions from the attacks 
of savage tribes or to repel the invasions of private adventurers or of forces 
from other nations hostile to Spain. But a new order was at hand. .Mready the 
life of the pueblo and the rancho had begun. 

On the great ranches of California granted by the Crown consitlerable com- 
munities were growing up around their powerful Spanish owners. .\s these 
gi'ants became more numerous the Church desired to include them also w'ithin the 
reach of its ministrations. Under the new government of California as a depart- 
ment of Mexico the power of the Missions was greatly curtailed and larger 
tributes were exacted by the civil authorities. Hence the padres of San Gabriel 
were glad now to encourage the settlement of good Catholics in their territory, 
and it was in accord with this general policy of the order that they were quite 
willing to foster this new enterprise of Falomares and Vejar. 

Besides these caballeros and their wives. Padre Zalvideo doubtless brought a 
small band of neophytes to take part in the simple but formal service of dedica- 
tion which he was to conduct, as well as to assist in the work that would be 
necessary at the first. 

Arrived again at the spot where the men had camped before, when the)' 
chose this part of the valley for their claims, the ])arty gathered under a large 
oak* for the service, and Padre Zalvideo offered a mass of thanksgiving and 
pronounced his benediction upon the families and their new possessions. The 
day which they had chosen for the occasion was March 19, the festival of San 
Jose, for which reason the new grant was dedicated by Padre Zalvideo as the 
Rancho de San Jose. 

It was agreed between the men that the rancho should be held by them both, 
as an undivided property, but that Ygnacio Palomares should have for his use 
the northern part, called San Jose de Ariba, while Ricardo Vejar should take 
the soutlicrn half, called San Jose de .■\bajo. So Sehor Palomares and his wife 
chose for the site of their home the place east of the San Jose Hills whereon 
their adobe was later built. The location is between the two adobes on "Cactus 



This oak still stands, a fine old tree, in the Canesha Park tract, Pomona. 



HISTORY AND I'.loC.KAl'1 1 V 37 

I.odgc, " now i>\vntil l)y tlic Xiclicils families, l)iit tlie l)iiil(liii{j is entirely rcmoveil, 
as will be mentioned later. Senor N'ejar selected his liomesitc l)y the southern 
hills farther down the valley, east of the home |>lace of Louis r'hilli|)s. another 
beautiful spot by the Arroyo Pedregoso. 

Then to determine the boundaries of the rancho so that they might sen<l to 
the Commissioner the descri|)tion to be used in the official grant, landmarks were 
selected as corners of the ranch so as to include, as nearly as they could judge, 
the two sc|uare leagues allowed them, and the distances were measured off. Xo 
accurate survey was then possible or required. This is the way it was done as 
described by Don Ramon, son of this early Scnor Ricardo \'ejar : Starting at 
one of the corner landmarks, two men on horseback rode toward one of the 
other corners, each carrying a long staff or pole to which was fastened one end 
of a reata of perhaps a hundred varas"* length. One held his staff to the ground 
while the other galloped to the end of the reata and drove his staff into the 
ground. Then the tirst, coiling U]) the reata as he rode, overtook the other and, 
paying out the rope, galloped on another length, drove his staff in turn into the 
ground and waited till the other end was carried forward and set. So tliev rode, 
passing and repassing each other at a gallop, till the course was run. 

.And this, translated, was the descri])tion of the boundaries of the rancho: 

"Commencing at the foot of a I'lack Willow tree which was taken for a 
corner, and between the limbs of which a dry stick was placed in the form of a 
cross, thence from the east toward the west 9,700 varas to the foot of the hills 
called "l.as l.omas de la Puente' (the ruente Hills i, taking for a landmark a 
large walnut tree on the slope of a small hill on the side of the road which ])asses 
from the San Jose to La Puente, making a cut ( caladura ) on one of its limbs with 
a hatchet, thence in a direction about from south to north 10.400 varas to the 
arroyo (creek) of San Jose opposite a high hill where a large oak was taken 
as a boundary in which was fixed the head of a beef, and some of its limbs 
chopped, thence in a direction about from west to east lO.^iOO varas to the arrovo 
of San .\ntonio, taking for a corner stone cottonwood trees which are near each 
other, making crosses on the back, thence about from north to south 9,700 varas 
to the foot of the Black Willow, the place of beginning." 

The first corner, marked by the "Black Willow," which, by the way, is no 
longer standing, is near the point known later as "Station S. J. Xo. L" at the 
southeast corner of the San Jose Ranch, in Section 8, Township 2 S., R. 8 W'., 
S. B. M., close to the corner between Sections 4. .^. 8 and '), T. 2 S. The second 
corner, whose landmark was the "P.Iack Walnut." was known later as "Station 
S. J. Xo. 9." and is in the town of Spadra. near the southwest corner of the 
Rubottom lot. The "large oak in which was fixed the head of a beef" was |)erhai)s 
the "Encina de la Tinaja." or Tinaja r)ak. at the Station S. J. Xo. 10. in Charter 
Oak. The corner of the cottonwood trees cannot be exactly located, but is 
probably well to the north of the iiresent northeast corner of the rancho. in 
Section' 10. Township 1 S.. R. 8 W.. S. B. M. 

As other grants were maile ailjoining the Rancho San Jose, it became neces- 
sary, of course, to fix the corners and <letermine the boundaries with greater 
care. Fifteen years later, after California had become a state in the I'nion. and 
Congress had passed an act under which the title in private claims based upon the 
old Mexican grants mi^ht be settled, in the petition of Vgnacio Palomares to 
settle his claim of title to a share in the Rancho San Jose, we find (|uite a different 

* The vara is a Spanish unit of mcasnrr cf|ual to about thirty-thrcr inches. 



38 HISTORY AND P.IOGRAPHY 

description. The first course, westward from the southeast corner, is broken into 
two, and a fifth corner set at "S. J. No. 5," so as to include the springs in 
the S. E. quarter of section 1, T. 2"S., R. 9 W., S. B. M. The distances and 
directions arc more definitely specified and the course along the Arroyo San 
Antonio is lengthened from 9.700 varas to 11,700 varas, northward. This 
description reads as follows: "Beginning at a point where the Arroyo de San 
Antonio passes out of the mountain where is fi.\ed a landmark at the point C 
on said map,* thence running south V>° West 11,700 varas to a landmark L 
in said map, thence West 13° North 5,730 varas to a landmark marked Y on 
said niaji: thence West 34° 15' South+ 4.115 varas to a landmark marked H on 
said map; thence North 32° 15' East 6,525 varas to a place on the mountain 
where is a landmark at the point marked X on said map, thence along the 
mountain, .so as to lake in the Canadas, to the ])lace of beginning at the point 
marked C, containing about two square leagues of land more or less." 

This first grant ceding to Ygnacio Palomares and Ricardo \'ejar "the place 
called 'San Jose' " was dated "the 15th day of April A. D. 1837" and was issued 
by Juan B. Alvarado, then Governor ad interim of California. By the time the 
official document reached the grantees, their vaqneros had driven their herds of 
cattle and flocks of sheep to the new pastures, corrals had been built for them 
by the streams, and the adobe blocks for their houses were baking in the sun. 
Other houses followed — houses for the vai|uen)s and helpers, storehouses for 
hides, for wool, and dried meats. 

Soon the two partners, Palomares and Vejar, were joined by a third. Ivuis 
Arenas, a native of Sonora, Mexico, who had married Josefa Palomares, a sister 
of Ygnacio, was taken into the company and a petition was sent to the governor 
for a third square league of land adjoining the rancho on the west. Acceding 
to this petition, Juan B. Alvarado, then "Constitutional Governor of the Depart- 
ment of California," issued a second grant dated March 14, 1840, "in favor of 
Ygnacio Palomares, Ricardo Bejar and Luis Arenas for the lands called San 
Jose ceded by decree of the 15th of April, 1837, and one additional league of 
grazing land." Thus the original grant of two square leagues was confirmed and 
another league added, the three partners having each an undivided third share 
in the three scjuare leagues. 

Turning again to the early documents we find this tlescription of this third 
square league of the second grant : 

"The second tract of land, or addition of one league, being bounded or 
described in the testimonial of juridical possession in this case, as follows, to wit: 
Commencing on the ancient western Ijoundary of San Jose at the foot of an oak, 
which is an old landmark from w hich the line was run from east to west 5,000 
varas to a point of a small hill which was taken for a corner, this angle adjoining 
the Puente, thence from south to north 5,000 varas to the foot of a small red 
hill called 'La Loma de San Felipe' where a mark was made, thence from west 
to east 5,000 varas to the old boundary of San Jose; provided that the additional 
tract is confirmed to the extent of one league only within the -boundaries described 
in juridical possession." 

• The reference is to "a map or diagram annexed to the testimonial showing a partition of the 
place called San Jose between Ricardo Vejar, Henry Dalton and the said Ygnacio Palomares, which map 
and testimonial are filed by the said Ricardo Vejar in Case No. .188 before the Commissioner.' [Extract 
from the document by the Board of Land Commissioners, dated January 31, 1854. confirming the claim 
of Vgn,acio Palomares to an undivided third part of the Rancho San Jose.] The point of beginning is now 
the northeast corner of the Rancho, instead of the southeast corner as before. 

tThis is evidently an error, the bearing i.robal)ly being West 34° l.V \orth instead of West 34° 
15' South. 



HISTORY AX I) r.IOGKAl'llV 39 

Tlie description of tliis "addition to tlic Ranclio San Josc" is very vaKue. and 
may be disregarded, since it is all included in later surveys as a part of the 
"Ranclio San Jose''; it should not be confused with the "San Jose Additimi" 
(called for a lime the "Addition to the Addition"), which tract was secured in 
the following maimer: 

Apparently Arenas was not satisfied with his third interest in the Ranch') 
San Jose and its enlargement, but petitioned for still another league for himself 
alone. In this petition he was seconded by Antonio Lugo : for Arenas at first had 
camped on the moist bottom lands of the Chine, and had watered his cattle here. 
Here also came some of Lugo's herds to drink. So Don Antonio had persuaded 
.-\rcnas to petition for more land west of the San Jose and leave him free in his 
lietition for the Chino. The petition of Arenas was allowed in a third grant, dated 
November 8, 184L by Manuel Jimcno, then "First Proprietary member of the 
most excellent Departmental Assembly in exercise of the Government of the same" 
(i.e., the Department of the Californias). 



CHAPTFR IWO 
LIFE ON THE RANXHOS IX THE FORTIES 

OCCITATION Ol- Till-: RaNCHO 1!V PaLOMARKS A.\1> N'K.IAR HaM ILIKS— IIoM K Lll'K 

IN THE Haciendas— The Mission of San GAnRiEL — Branch Misskin at 
San Bernardino — Indians of the Valley— Story of Blried Treasure- 
Grants Adjoining the Rancho San Josk — Henry Dalton and Azisa— 
Don Antonio Lcco and the Ciiino— La Puente Rancho, the Rowlands 
and Workmans — Description and F'artitkin of the Rancho San Jose — 
Connections With the World Outside — The War of 1846— P>attle of 
THE Chino Ranch Horsi: — The Gold Fever. 

After the adobe liouses of Palomares and \'ejar liad been comjileted. and 
those of their overseers and vac|iieros, after the stock had been driven to tlie 
rancho and pastured there, after the corn and potatoes, the beans and pepper-; 
and other necessaries of life had been planted and brought to harvest — when all 
was in readiness, the men transferred their families to the new homes. There 
had been various journeys to Los Angeles before, for stock and seed, for building 
materials, lumber, doors and windows, tools and other hardware. Everything 
that was needed for the simple construction of their adobe houses had been brouglu 
from Los .-Xngeles. then a pueblo of two or three hundred Mexican population. 
Now came the household goods, .some on pack animals and some in carrelas drawn 
by oxen. In this fashion too came Dona Maria Soto de X'ejar, wife of 
Ricardo \'ejar. and Dona Concepcion Lopez de Paloinares. wife of Ygnacin 
Palomares. with their children. Primitive as it was, the carreta was the most 
luxurious vehicle of the time. 

This carreta was a two-wheeled cart, whose wheels were made either of a 
single block of wood or of solid jilanks i)laced edge to edge to make a piece broad 
enough to saw out a circular disk three or four feet in diameter. These turned 
upon a heavy wooden axle, six or eight inches thick, to which was fastened and 
braced the long log, or trunk of a small tree, which reached forward to serve as 
the tongue. I'pon these two logs, the tongue and the axle, with no intervening 
springs, rested the floor of the cart, four or five feet wide and seven or eight feet 
long, made of heavy boards or logs hewn flat and framed together by end pieces 
which, like the edges, were extra thick. Driven into this frame were upright 
sticks framed together at the top to make sides and ends resembling a hay wagon, 
rising two or three feet above the bottom. The oxen were fastened to the tongue 
by reatas or hair ropes bound to their horns, and mounted riders guided them witii 
garrochas. or goads, and shouts. Women and children roile in these carretas, seated 
on a blanket or hide, or .squatting on the floor. The appearance of a carreta on 
the Camino Real was as much of a novelty then as an airplane in the sky today. 
and a ride in one almost as rare. Moreover the loud shouting of the drivers 
and the screams of laughter fand pain?) from the passengers, as they jounced and 
bounced along over the rough mad, togctlier with the piercing S(|ucak of the 



42 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

wheels, despite frequent oiling with soap, would proclaim quite as effectively 
their approach. Xor were the elements of excitement and danger wanting; for 
an ox would sometimes pull to one side and overturn the load, or an axle would 
break, or the wheels would bog to the axle in the adobe mud. 

At first the life of the rancho centered about these two homes of Palomares 
and \'ejar, and these soon became extensive estates. By and by other homes 
were established by friends and relatives of the grandees, who had come out 
from San Gabriel or Los Angeles from time to time to enjoy the liberal hos- 
pitality of the rancho. Without flie formality at first of deed or lease these 
were given locations at various places on the ranch, where springs and trees 
afforded water and shade. So came the Arenas, the Alvarado and the Lopez 
families, the Garcias and the Yorbas. 

Here on the San Jose Rancho, the life on these large estates was much the 
same as it w^as on other ranchos of that day in California. Other writers have 
found in this life the theme and the setting for adventure and romance, which, 
while bringing fame to the authors themselves, have enriched our literature and 
stored our minds with vivid an<l lasting pictures of the Mexican life in those 
halcyon days. 

Helen Hunt Jackson in "Ramona," Helen Elliot Bandini, in her "History of 
California," Marah Ryan in "The Soul of Rafael," and also Bancroft in his "Cali- 
fornia Pastoral," are among those whose graphic descriptions of these scenes are 
most familiar and correct. McGroarty in his "California, its History and Ro- 
mance" says: "The life that the people lived in California in the days when 
Monterey was at the height of its greatness, was a life that probably can not 
return to California nor to any other part of the globe where a similar state of 
affairs has existed. * * * In the good old days when California was young — 
'in the good old days of the King,' as it used to be said — those who sat down to 
the feast departed not from the house of their host the next day, nor the next week 
for that matter, unless they were so inclined. There was nothing concerning 
themselves to call them away, and the longer they remained under the roof where 
they gathered, the better pleased was the man who owned the roof. There will 
never again be seen U]3on this earth, perhaps, a life so ideal as that which was 
lived in Monterey and throughout all California in its halcyon days before the 
'Gringo' came. There was room to breathe, and a man could sit on a hill top 
and look upon the sea anywhere. * "■' * The land was fat with plenty, and 
every door was flung wide with welcome to whomsoever might come. There was 
no hurry, no envy, no grief. Though you had no house of your own. it were no 
cause for distress. You had but to speak at the first threshold you met, ask for 
food and shelter for yourself and beast, and they to whom you came would answer 
you saying: 'Pase usted, es su casa, Senor.' (Enter, it is your house.)" 

THE MISSION OF SAN GABRIEL 

The Mexican rancheros were good Catholics. Notwithstanding their occu- 
pation with the affairs of their new life, the caring for their herds, the rodeos, 
and slaughters, the taking of hides and tallow to market, notwithstanding their 
easy, not to say lazy, manner of life, they maintained their relations with the 
church at the Mission, and "The Mission" meant of course the Mission at San 
Gabriel. On Sunday they would often drive over for the mass. When they 
went to the Mission store, as they sometimes did for things that might be found 




SENORA CONCKl'tloN l.OPKZ DK I'AK'MAKKS 





DON TiiMAS l'Al.nM,\l<l-.> XM' 

DORA MADKI.KVA \ I.IAK 

Dl" l'\l.oM\Ki;> 



DON 1-KANCISCo l'\l''V.^|<l-r „;'"" 

DOR\ l.ll.AKDA AIA AkAl>o 

DK I'Al.i'MAKKS 



HISTORY A\l) I^.Ior.RAI'llV 43 

here instead of inakiiij,' tlic journey all the way to Los Anjjcles, tlic mfirc devout 
would slij) into the chapel and kneel there for prayer and meditatinii. ( )n the 
great Church days everyone went who could ride. There were the impressive 
services at the chapel, formal ceremonies in whicli the Franciscan padres, some- 
times two or three of them, ofliciated, assisted by companies of nefiphytcs, and 
accompanied by the singing of the choir of while-surpliced children, .\fter tlvj 
services there were games, cock tights and races, and there were always many 
old acquaintances from other ranchos as well as from those of San Gabriel and 
from the pueblo of Los Angeles, with whom one must visit and exchange the 
latest news from Monterey, from Mexico and "the States." 

Rut many could not make the journey to the Mission. The sick ones, the 
aged or infirm, mothers with their little children, must stay at home on tlie ranclio. 
And so at times a padre from tlie Mission, following the old trail from San Gabriel 
to San Bernardino, would tarry at their homes and minister to their needs. These 
occasions were rare and precious; children were baptized, a little shrine set up 
in some private room would be blessed, confessions were received, masses read 
for the sick and even for the dead. Many indeed were comforted by these long 
remembered visits. Among tlic padres who made these Hying trips, says Mrs. 
M. C. Kennedy, "were Jose Sanchez. Tomasso Kstenaga, and Francisco Sanchez, 
the last named being atTectionately referred to as the brown-robed Franciscan who 
looked like the pictures of St. .\nthony. It was Padre Jose Sanchez wlio baptized 
Don Ramon \'ejar in the old font of hammered copper in San Gabriel Mission, 
although at this time the family lived in what is now TTollywood." Whether they 
saw the Mission often, or rarely, or as in some cases not at all, yet for all the 
Mission was the center of their religious life, the church il-^elf, with its lieavy 
buttressed walls of adobe, its red-tiled roof anil its melodious bells, uniquely hung 
in their arched wall, was very dear to them, as it was to many others living upon 
other ranchos of the region : and their thouglUs would turn to it more reverently 
indeed than would those of the more fortunate living within the sound of its bells. 

This devotion to the Mission was encouraged by the l-'ranciscan fathers. 
The whole valley was tlie field of the San Gabriel Mission, from the Sierra Madre 
mountain range on the north to the Temescal and scrraiiias. or hills on the south, 
from the great mountains of San Bernardino and San Jacinto on the east to the 
shores of the \\'estern sea. Indeed the Mission of San Gabriel, in the extent of 
its territory, the numbers of its converts and the value of its resources, was. in its 
prime, the strongest and richest of them all. "La Reina dc los Mi-Mi'iir^," Queen 
of tlie Missions, was the name by wliich it had come to be known. 

Other Missions were more happily located an<l more kixurii'Uiiy houseil. 
Some of them looked out upon the Pacific like the Mission of San Carlos at 
Carmelo, San Francisco de Solano. San Buenaventura. San Diego, and especially 
Santa Barbara on its inimitable commanding site on tlic mountain side al)ove the 
harbor. The church of Santa Barbara also far surpassed tliat of San Gabriel, 
as did of course that of San Juan Capistrano. which, as McGroarty says, was in 
its time the finest and handsomest church edifice in all California. The site of 
San Gabriel Mission, on the other hand, on the level plain beside the shallow, 
tuie-covered river-bed, has no special beauty, nor was the change of location from 
the original site made with this in view. .\rt. literature and histury have found in 
ether Missions more of lieauty and romance and the setting of ni'>re innjortant 
events. Especially was this true of San Diego. Founded by Junipero Serra in 
1769, it was the pioneer church and the scene of some of the great priest's most 



44 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

vital experiences. Here, where the first explorer Cabrillo had landed in 1542, was 
born the life of California Missions and with it that of the State itself. Here 
were united, after journeys of months, the four expeditions (two by land and 
two by water) which tlie ^''isitador General of Mexico, Don Jose Galvez, had 
sent out in January, 1769, with great plans for the occupation of California and 
for christianizing the Indians. Here the leaders of the expedition, Junipero 
Serra, the Father of the Alissions, and Don Caspar de Portola, civil and military 
governor of the new territory, on arriving with the second land party, planned 
together for the work they were to do. Hence Portola and his party set out 
upon his long but fruitless search for Monterey, to be rew'arded nevertheless by 
the discovery of the Bay of San Francisco. Here for a day the future of all 
California hung in the balance, when Portola upon the return of his expedition, 
discouraged by tlie apparent failure of all their plans, and with starvation facing 
tlicm, had ordered the party on board the San Carlos to return to Mexico, and 
Father Serra, having begged for a little delay — even a day — prayed with all his 
soul for the coming of the relief sliip that Galvez had promised, — and watched 
for it from sunrise until with tlie setting sun his anguished vision discovered the 
tiny sail of the long sought ship. "And wdiat does that day mean" asks jMcGroarty 
'"to California and the world? It means that, had it never been, the wonderful 
Franciscan Missions of California had never risen. Came never that day on 
Presidio Hill with Junipero Serra on his knees, there would have been no Mission 
San Diego de Alcala in the Mission \'alley, no Pala in the mountain valley, no 
San Luis Rey, no San Gabriel or Santa Barbara's towers watching above the sea, 
no San Luis Obispo or Dolores or any of the twenty-one marvelous structures 
that dot El Camino Real — The King's Highway — between the Harbor of the Sun 
and the Valley of the Seven Moons, and wdiich to see. untold thousands of trav- 
ellers make the pilgrimage to California every year." 

The Mission of San Carlos at Carmel will always be associated most inti- 
mately with Father Serra; it was his favorite. — beautiful above all in his cncs and 
most beloved, and here in 1784, when his great and blessed work was done. tlV' 
founder of the Missions rested from his labors. 

But every Mission had its own peculiar charm, each had its own strong indi- 
viduality, and each accomplished its own important work. Certainly this was true 
of the Mission of San Gabriel. The story of its founding in September, 1771, 
though well known to all its followers, may not be so familiar now. Father Palou, 
associate and friend of Junipero Serra and his successor in charge of the ]\Iis- 
sions, whose story of the Missions is the most direct and authentic, gives the 
following account: "On the aforesaid sixth of .\ugust there set out from San 
Diego the fathers, Fr. Pedro Cambon, and Fr. /\ngel Somera, with a guard of ten 
soldiers, and muleteers with the supply of provisions. They journeyed toward 
the north by the road which the Expedition traveled ; and having made some 
forty leagues, they arrived at the River of Earthquakes, Rio de los Temblores, 
(so called since the first Expedition) and being in the act of selecting a place, 
there appeared a great crowd of natives (una niniu-rosa inultitud de Gentiles). 
which, armed and commanded by two captains, attempted with frightful shouting 
to prevent the work of foundation. The fathers believing that a battle was 
imminent, and that they should suffer misfortune, one of them brought forth a 
banner bearing the picture of Our Lady of Sorrows, and held it in view nf tlie 
savages; but no sooner had he done this than, overcome with the sight of an 
image so beautiful, they all flung upon the ground their bows and arrows, the 



lilS■|■t)K^■ AM) l'.l( M'.R \ni\' 43 

two captains running swiftly to place at the feet of the Sovereign Queen what- 
ever of value they wore about their necks, as pledges of highest esteem : manifest- 
ing by this act the peace which they desired with our people. They summoiu'd 
all the neighboring rancherias, and great numbers of men, women and children 
came to see the Holy A'irgin. laden with various kinds of seeds, which they left 
at the feet of the most sacred Lady, believing that she would eat them like the re>t. 
"The native women of the port of San Diego made similar demonsiraiions 
after some of the inhabitants were pacified. When shown another picture of 
Our Lady the \'irgin Mary, with the Child Jesus in her arms, as soon as they 
learned of it in the near by rancherias, they ran to see it, and as they could net 
enter because prevented by the stockade, they called to the Padres and prcsseil 
Ijetween the pickets their full breasts, expressing vividly by signs, that they came 
to offer to nurse the Child, so tender and beautiful, which the Padres had. Having 
seen the likeness of our Lady, the natives of the Mission of San Gabriel were 
so changed that they were allowed frequent visits to the missionaries, and as they 
did not know how to manifest their pleasure in having the latter come to live in 
their land, they sought to make returns to them in caresses and gifts. They 
proceeded to lay out a large tract, and "gave a beginning to the Mission' in the 
place which they judged suitable, with the same ceremonies which are related in 
the former account. The first mass was celebrated under a shelter of boughs 
(ciirniiiada). the day of the Nativity of our Lady, the 8th of September, and the 
following day they began to build a chapel which should serve temporarily for a 
church and likewise a house for the padres, and another for the troops, all with 
a palisade and with stakes encircling for defense in any event. The greater part 
of the timber for the buildings, these same natives cut and u])rooted. helping to 
construct the smaller houses : for which reason the pa<lrcs remained with the 
expectation of a liappy outcome, and that soon there would be no reluctance to 
accept the easy yoke of our evangelical law. When these natives were become 
cjuite contented, in spite of this good feeling, one of the soldiers did a wrong In 
one of the chiefs of the rancherias. and what is worse, to God our Lord. The 
native chief seeking vengeance for the offense done to him and to his wife, gath- 
ered together all the neighbors of the rancherias near by, and inviting those who 
were able to bear arms, he appeared with them before the two soldiers who, at a 
distance from the Mission, were guarding and pasturing a band of grazing horses, 
and one of whom was the wrongdoer. When these saw so many coming armed 
they put on their leather shields to protect themselves from the arrows and armed 
themselves, there being no way to give warning to the guard, which did not know 
of the act of the soldier. Just as soon as the natives arrived within shooting dis- 
tance, they began to fling their arrows, all making ioT the insolent soldier: the 
latter aimed his gun at the foremost, supposing him to be the chief, and firing a 
ball, killed him. As soon as the others saw the effect and force of our weapons, 
which they had never experienced before, and that their arrows did no harm, they 
fled in haste, leaving the unfortunate chief, who though wrongcil was the one 
who had to die. From this event it came about that the Indians were intimidated. 
There arrived, a few days following this, the commandant with the padres, an^I 
made preparations for the Mission of San P)Uenaventura. antl fearing that the 
natives might make some attem[)t to avenge the death of their chief, he resolved 
to increase the guard of the San Gabriel Mission to the number of sixteen soldiers. 
For this reason and because of their small confidence in the rest, in view of 
repeated desertions, they had to postpone the founding of the Mission of San 



46 HISTORY AND F.TOGRAPnV 

Buenaventura, until tlie outcome of that at v^an Gabriel could be seen, wherefore 
its two ministers remained, with all their belonsiinijs. until further notice. The 
commandant left with the other soldiers for Monterey, carrying away the one 
who had killed the native, so as to remove him from sight of the others, notwith- 
standing the .scandal which he had committed was hidden both from the com- 
mandant and from the padres. There remained in this way four missionaries in 
the curacy of San Gabriel, Init the two ministers of this curacy having fallen ill, 
they had to retire shortlv to Lower California, and the two destined for San 
Buenaventura remained to administer this, and .sought with all the gentleness 
possible to attract the natives, who little by little were forgetting the deed of the 
soldier and the death of their chief, and began to give some of their children to 
be baptized, the child of the luifortunate one who was killed being one of the first, 
whom the widow gave with much joy ; and by her example others were giving 
theirs, and the number of Christians was increased, so that, two years after the 
founding of the Mission when I was there, they had baptized seventy-three, and 
when our X^enerable Padre died, there were reckoned a thousand and nineteen 
neophytes."* 

'I'he miraculous saving of the founders and the sudden conversion of the 
Indians augured well for the Mission, and these good auguries were abundantly 
fulfilk-(l. If the real jnirpose of the work was the civilizing and christianizing of 
the Indians, turning them from savagery, ignorance and vice to ways of peace and 
happiness, training them in the arts and trades of civilization, while at the same 
time maintaining the material life of the whole community, ami contributing also 
largely to the Spanish government, both provincial and crown; then surely the 
work of the San Gabriel Mission was fully justified by its results. Only the Mis- 
sion San Luis Rev surpassed it at an^- time in material prosperity. East, north and 
south its cattle by the thousands and its shee]) by the tens of thousands ranged the 
plains as far as the mountains and west to the sea. Thousands of Indians came 
to live bv the Mission, and manv more came under its influence. Himdreds at 
a time were domiciled at the Mission, some of them as neophytes, each with his 
duties to perform and lessons to learn. In 1817 the population of the Mission 
itself was 1.701. Far removed from the manufacturing and industrial centers of 
the modern world, they were so far as possible sufficient to themselves in the 
production of materials to meet their needs. LTnder the direction of the fathers 
the fertile fields yicliled all they required and more in food and clothing, lender 
their direction also, and that of a few skilled artisans who came from Mexico 
or Sjiain, the needed trades were taught and plied. \\'ool was carded, spun and 
woven into cloth for garments. Leather was made from the hides, and from it 
shoes and saddles ; a saw mil! and carjienter shop worked up the logs hauled down 
from the mountains. There was a soap factory and a gristmill, "El Molino," 
whose ruins may still be seen. 

Nor was the jirosi^erily of the Mission a material prosperity alone. During 
the sixty years from its founding in 1771 to 1831 the records of the church show 
7,709 bapti.sms, .\4<)4 burials and 1,877 marriages. Simple, plain figures these, but 
what a world of throbbing life the imagination conjures up fron: these figures; 
and the spiritual life to which these padres ministered, wlio can measure? 



" 'i'r.mslatcd from .nil oiiKin.-il ro|iy of .1 work in the Mason collection of the Pomona College library, 
entitled "Rel.icion Ilislorica tie la N'iila y Apostolicas Tareas del Venerable Padre Fray Junipero Scrra — 
escrita por el K. P. 1.. I'l. l-rancisin Palo\i ■ ■ ■ La Isia Mallorea. (I7S7) 



IIISTORV AXU BIOC.RAI'IIV 47 

As the years passed, certain of the old Indian trails through the valley, fol- 
lowed later by tiie padres and their workers, became well traveled roatls. Two 
of these roads leading from the Mission eastward, one north of the Piientc and 
San Jose Hills, tlie other soiitli, joineil in one east of tiie San Jose Hills and not far 
from the Vgnacio Palomares place. Eastward the road ran by way of Cucamonga 
and the Indian camp there to the Cajon Pass and San Bernardino. Over this road 
at times teams of oxen and mules hauled loads of logs, for the dearth of timber 
in the valley suitable for lumber made it necessary to look to the mountains for 
their supply: and thus a hundred years ago began the cutting of pines on the 
slopes of the mountains north of San Bernardino and shooting them down the 
mountain side to the valley below. Over this road too, on their way to and from 
the Mission, passed the Indians of the San Bernardino and San Gorgonio tribes. 
Less often, and less often in the forties than earlier, rode or tramped, like Father 
Serra before them, the brown-clad monks journeying between the Mission and the 
settlement at San Bernardino. 

This settlement had its beginning, according to Caballeria,* in a little station 
called Politana opened by Captain Juan Batista de Anza of the Presidio of Tubac, 
in 1774, when he came f from the Colorado River by way of Yuma to San Diego, 
passing through the San Gorgonio Pass and resting to feed his company and cattle 
in the meadows of this valley. A large company, two hundred and forty persons 
and over a thousand animals, were in this expedition which arrived in the valley 
that March, but of the beginnings of the settlement and its early history little is 
known. More than thirty years later, when the activity of the Mission was 
greatest, the difficulty of caring for the people in this valley remote from the 
church became so great that it was decided to establish an asistciicia, or branch, of 
the San Gabriel Mission here. It was the 20th of May, 1810, when the band of 
missionaries from San Gabriel laid the foundations of the chapel. As the day 
was the festival of ^an Bernardino, the name of San Bernardino was given to the 
asistciicia. Vet now. after three or four decades, its brief life was over and little 
was left to show for it. All the buildings were destroyed and only a handful of 
the native tribe of Indians remained. In 1810 there had been a large village of 
these natives, which was called Guachama, the "place of abundant food and 
water." Among them the life of the Mission had begun to thri\e as in fertile 
soil. But the Indian tribes of the mountains and desert, the Coahuillas and 
Serranos, always hostile to the valley tribes, soon became more fierce than ever. 
After the great earthquake of 1812, when fresh springs of hot water charged with 
sulphurous gas boiled up from the bowels of the earth, these hostile tribes, be- 
lieving that the Great Spirit was displeased with the invasion of the newcomers, 
combined in an attack upon the rancheria and asistciicia, burning and tearing down 
the buildings and massacring the Indians of the Mission. But the Guachamas 
rallied and the Missionaries renewed their work among them, rebuilding the 
church in 1820. Then for another decade the work prospered in spite of repeated 
raids by the desert Indians, when they plundered the Mission stores and drove off 
the best of their stock. Yet in 1830. says Caballeria, 5.000 head of cattle belonging 
to the herds of this branch were killed and their hides taken to the Mother Mission. 
Its prosperity, however, was short-lived. In the following year, 1831, the desert 
Indians came again and completely destroyed the buildings, carrying ofT all the 
cattle. From this blow the Guachamas never recovered ; and while the Mission at 



• Caballeria — History of San Bcrnarclino. 

t This was prubably the fir« expedition of white men t^ 



48 HISTORY AXL) r.loC.RAI'IIV 

San Gabriel still ministered for a time to the little group which remained, the 
church was never rebuilt, and the iisi.ttciicia as a branch of the .Mission was 
abandoned. 

Moreover, the best days of the Missions were over. The days of power and 
expanding growth were passed. During his life Junipero Serra had been the 
energizing force of the whole Franciscan order. Following his plans, guided by 
his counsel, thrilled by his masterly sermons, inspired by his enormous sacrifices 
and courage, the fathers had accomplished their marvelous achievements. .And 
long after his death they had continued the beneficent service, with this inspiration 
living in their hearts and urging them to carry on the work for which he had 
given his life. Throughout the Spanish era. whatever the rivalry or conflict between 
the authority of the Franciscans and that of the n-iilitary, in the Mission field 
there had always been the sympathetic backing of the Crown with its ultimate 
authority. With the separation of Mexico from Spain in 1822, this royal support 
was cut off, and the new government regarded the chain of Missions primarily 
as an important source of income, little valuing its importance in the industrial 
and educational development of the province, or even as a factor in maintaining 
order. Rut for a time the Franciscans continued their work under the Alexican 
regime, without active support from the government, yet without interference 
beyond the exaction of heavy revenues. 

August 17, 1833, is called by one historian the darkest day in the history of 
California, — "the beginning of the end of the Mission era in California." On 
this day the Decree of Secularization was issued by the Congress of the ]\Iexican 
Republic. By this decree the government took possession of the great holdings 
of the Missions, — buildings, stock and stores, — selling them at auction to who- 
ever would buy, and at their own ridiculous prices. The explanation of this 
most unrighteous confiscation is given by ]\IcGroarty as follows: 

"The Spanish Crown, and later the Mexican Government, wdiich succeeded 
the Spanish Crown, had successively on their hands military establishments in 
California which subsisted on the industry of the Missions. The soldiers did not 
work, but had to be fed just the same. IJoth Spain and Mexico, in the course of 
time, came to owe the Missions a great deal of money for the food and supplies 
which were furnislied to the various presidios and garrisons. Looking the matter 
over coouy and calculatingly, after the manner of thrones and nations in the pain 
of poverty resulting from criminal waste and extravagance, they decided that it 
would be easier to boldly confiscate the Mission establishments, with all their 
fruitiul nelds, orchards, flocks and herds, than to pay the debts they owed them.'" 

One after another the Missions were abandoned, the Franciscan friars scat- 
tered and the neglected buildings began to crumble in decay. What might have 
been the fate and future of the Missions if California had become a State of the 
Union before the Secularization can only be conjectured. The earlier treatment 
of Indians by our government does not furnish a hopeful analogy. Very com- 
mendable are the movements recenth- inaugurated for the restoration of the ]\Iis- 
sion buildings, but these are entirely of a private nature, and aim only to preserve 
in artistic beauty the monuments of a life whose heart and soul have passed away. 
By the time when California was admitted to the L'nion, the chain of Missions 
which had stretched along the "King's Highway" from San Diego to San Fran- 
cisco, was a scattered train of deserted ruins. Vet not all were abandoned. 

In several of the Missions the padres stayed on, ministering to the faithful 
who remained. In the beautiful old buiklings of the Santa Barbara ]Mission, the 



HISTORY AND BIOGRAPIIV 4") 

Franciscans still live their monastic life, sleeping on the bare cots of the cloistered 
cells, their sandaled feet still treading the paths of the beloved garden. At San 
Gabriel especially the Mission was not deserted, tliongh its entire life was revolu- 
tionized. There were no longer hundreds of Indians going out to their work 
after early mass, some to till the fieMs, some to work in the orchards or mills and 
others to herd the cattle. The organization of a great institution with its throbbin;; 
complex life complete in itself was broken up, its members as well as its machinery 
and material all scattered. 

lUit surrounding the Mission buildings, outside the walls of its immediate 
authority, had grown up a considerable village dependent upon the Mission, con- 
tributing something to its life and directly or indirectly tributary to it. Not only 
the immediate environs but the whole great valley, over which the Mission herds 
had roamed, was no less Mission territory. Indians and Mexicans alike still looked 
to the Mission at San Gabriel as the heart of the region, pulsating with its life 
streams. 

With this entire change in its organizatinn, there were three differetU courses 
open to the padres; they might abandon the Mission and return to Mexico or 
other Spanish provinces; they might remain and live a secluded hermit life within 
the old walls; or they might turn, though sorrowfully, from the direction of the 
inner life of a great institution now dead, and give themselves as priests to serve 
the people in the new field around thein. The very magnitude of its former work 
and the extent of its field made the opportunity and need of this new service 
peculiarly pressing for the Mission of San Gabriel. To this labor the padres now 
directed tlieir attention With heart and soul. 

Thus, briefly enough from the standpoint of one who is interested in their 
story for its own sake, but at some length, it may seem, for a local history, \vc 
have endeavored to sketch the rise and fall of the Missions, especially that of 
San Gabriel ; for only w-ith this as its background can one see in aTiything like its 
proper perspective the figures of the early davs in the San Jose Valley. The San 
Jose ranch was in fact a part of this ^lission field, not only during the forties 
but for a generation later. 

INDIANS OF THE VALLEY 

Long before the Spaniards came to the \'alley there were the Indians, here, 
as everywhere else in .\merica, the aboriginal natives. What were their tribes? 
Were they peaceable or warlike? Where did they live and how' And what 
became of them? 

One historian says that when the explorers fliscovered this coast, and during 
the century following, "The hills and valleys of California were more thickly 
peopled than was any other part of the continent."* That this Valley held its 
share is evident from the quantities of relics, arrowheads, wampum, and pottery 
turned up by the plow. But the Mexicans who first built their adobe homes on 
the Rancho San Jose found no large villages nor populous tribes. What they did 
find were little bands of Indians, families and groups of families, making their 
camps by the cienegas and streams, and moving from place to place as their whim 
or need prompted them. 

\'ery different are the pictures which different writers have given us of these 
Indians. One writes: "Thev had no names for themselves, no traditions and 



• Nt'rton — Stor>* nf C.ilifnrnia. Olhcrs estimate tlic number of Indians in California before the 
Amcricanx came as about 100, ono. 
2 



50 HISTORY AND BIOGRAl'IIY 

110 religion. They were lazy and indolent to a degree and made no attempt what- 
ever to till the soil. In their dealings with the white men they were much given 
to petty thieving and treachery. On occasion they committed murder. The lives 
they led sulijected them to many diseases. Such a thing as a marriage relation 
appears to have been almost wholly unknown among them and there was no such 
thing as morals." Helen Hunt Jackson, on the other hand, in her charming story 
of Raiiiuna. has so idealized the Indian in Alessandro that one finds little likeness 
to the real native of California at any time or place. While some idealization 
may he permitted in a romance of this sort, with its evident and worthy purpose, 
still the same author in her "Glimpses of California and the Missions" writes, 
"The San Gabriel Indians seem to have been a superior race. They spoke a soft 
musical language, now nearly lost. Their name for God signified 'Giver of Life.' 
Robbery was unknown among them, murder was punished by death, and marriage 
between those near of kin was not allowed." 

Somewhere between these extremes lies the real truth about the Indians 
found on the Rancho San Jose in the forties, and it is probably much nearer to 
the impression given by the first of our historians quoted than that of the latter, 
if we may judge from our conversation with the older Mexicans, from our early 
knowledge of the Indians still remaining and from the pictures of their life which 
one may sketch considering anthropologically the relics in the way of implements 
and apparel which have been collected. Certainly the natives of Southern Cali- 
fornia, like those of Arizona and New Mexico, were an inferior race as compared 
with those of the North, East and Middle West. Physically they were not strong, 
lithe and active like the Cheyenne or Sioux, but squat, fat and unattractive. 
Treacherous and untrustworthy they were, and ready to kill on provocation or 
for gain, but not brave or fierce. While groups living not far apart could not 
understand each other, so different were their dialects, yet they were not separated 
into sharply distinct tribes with well-defined tribal characteristics. There is little 
doubt that these natives were less advanced tlian those of the Channel Islands, 
whose very habitat had compelled them to learn many things and to be able to do 
many things unknown and unnecessary to the natives of the mainland. They 
were also less vigorous and active than the mountain Indians in whom the l)reath 
of the pines, the cold water and snows of the summits and the climbing over range 
and canyon, as they hunted mountain sheep, wildcat and bear, had developed a 
more rugged physique. Here in the Valley, amid milder surroundings, the natives 
were lazy and dirty, living on a low plane both physically and mentally. 

On the way from the rancho to San Bernardino were a number of the camps, 
or rancherias, of these Indians. There was one on what is now Orange Grove 
Avenue, north of Pomona and west of Towne Avenue, at a spot called the Huaje 
(oo-ah-hayl ; another was located by the southeast corner of the mesa, known as 
Indian Hill, north of Claremont ; and still another by the Cucamonga hills. In- 
stead of picturesque groups or rows of wigwams, of .special form or construction, 
they had the crudest shelters of nondescript shape made of branches and boughs 
of willows, using small trees or poles for uprights and thatching them with tule 
and mud. 

Picforc the coming of white people their dress was meager enough. A breech- 
clout for the men and an apron of grasses for the women was all that climate or 
fashion required. Children were innocent of even these claims of fashion. Lazi- 
ness was perhaps the fundamental, all controlling, and prevalent racial character- 



IIISTORV AND I'.IOCkArilV 31 

istic of these natives of the X'alley. All the attemlaiU aiul consequent trails and 
vices also persisted. L'nwashed and unkempt, they sat or slept on the {ground all 
day long, save as the need of food re(|uired a minimum of exertion. Ordinarily 
all their activities centered in this ultimate necessity. Squirrels, rabbits, skunks 
and birds ])rovided their meats, and the skins served for warmer wraps for the 
infirm or sick in the cooler months. They ground acorns in victatcs far meal, 
using for this purpose any flat rock, hollowed out by use, and a small round stone 
that would fit the hand. Roots and small fruits were sought in their season — 
cactus pear, elderberries, gooseberries — and they went to the mountains for 
pifiones, of which they were fond. Rarely an antelope or coyote was caught and 
roasted in barbecue style, buried in the ground with stones that had first been 
heated through. But for the most part they did very little cooking, and that over 
an open fire. They understood something of pottery, and made crude vessels of 
various sorts, but basketry, and rug weaving, those arts which other tribes have 
practiced and by which the tribes are often known, seem to have been neglected 
or unknown by these non-tribal natives. The anthropologist, studying the effect'^ 
of climate and natural surroundings upon the human animal, finds here the logical 
result of conditions in which favoring Nature gives much and requires little (yet 
giving lavishly in return for more). Those people who live in the semi-tropical 
zones, they say. have become adapted in habit and physical state to the heat of a 
more vertical sun. Dark of skin and slow in movement, easy-going and indolent 
they all are; and if, as along the Mediterranean shores, civilization has developed 
nations of refinement and power, it is always in conflict with the degenerating 
influence of the climate. Teutonic and Slavic peoples and individuals, with their 
inherent energy and ambition, only survive for a little — two or three generations 
at most — when removed to these climes. 

Mafiana (tomorrow) was the spirit of the people who occupied the Soutl;- 
we.st, till the restless Saxon came, excepting of course an occasional leader like 
Juni])cro Serra. But for the Indians of this region, unmoved by any stimulus of 
civilization, even manana was a philosophy unconceived. 

People so degenerate were of course an easy prey to disease and to the attacks 
of other more aggressive tribes. With no tribal chiefs they were led by heads 
of families, and the medicine men had much power. .\t several spots in the valley, 
as at Cucamonga and at Temescal, were sweat houses, closed huts made of brush 
and adobe mud, in which those who were sick were confined, until the disease 
turned one way or the other. It is said that at Cucamonga this process of sweating 
was also administered to Indian maidens before they were married. Concerning 
this, as of other marriage rites, we may not be sure. Certain historians testify 
that the Indians of the Southwest were more religious and as a rule more chaste 
than those of other parts of the State; that they were usually monogamous, only 
the chiefs having more than one wife; while other writers have described them 
as without regard for any such obligations. Probably there was great diflFcrence 
in the ()ractice of different communities and different families, a higher tone of 
morality prevailing generally among the mountain triljes than among the Indian-; 
of the \'alley. 

.Mthough not naturally a warlike peo|)le they were obliged at times to defend 
themselves against the attacks of the mountain and desert tribes. In these battles 
they were usually worsted by their more hardy enemies. Under these conditions 
it is not strange that when the Mexicans came to the \'alley comparatively few of 
the natives remained. I'.v this time, too, the Indians of the V'allev showed in 



52 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

various ways the effect of their contact, more or less direct, during a half century 
or more, with the white race. The effect of this contact, so far as it was the 
direct influence of the Missions, was universally good. Almost universally bad 
was the influence of the presidio and pueblo. From the one they had adopted some 
of the better clothing and habits of civilized people, had learned to cook and to 
make many things unknown before. From the others they had acquired the habits 
of smoking and drinking and had been encouraged in their natural inclination to 
theft. 

Such were the Indians whom the Palomares and Vejar families found in the 
Valley when they came, and for many years after; and whatever else w'e may say 
about them, at any rate they solved the labor problem for the settlers. However 
inefficient and lazy they may have been, they could learn or had already learned to 
ride, to help in herding, corralling and branding cattle, and in killing and skinning 
them ; and the Indian women and children could wash and cook and do the simple 
work of servants in the house. Still at times the tribes of the mountains and those 
of the desert, the San P.ernardinii. San Gorgonio. Coahuilla Indians, would swooy) 
down from their fastnesses and attack both the Indians and the settlers of the 
\'alle\-. Alore fearful now of the guns of the settlers, they usually avoided direct 
battle, but the prizes were richer in captured booty, in horses and in cattle. W'e 
have already referred to the troubles of the branch Mission at San Bernardino, 
and of course they were more subject to attack because of their proximity to the 
mountains. But even here they were not exempt. Senor Ramon \'ejar tells of 
one time when, dashing into the rancheria unexpectedly, the mountain Indians, 
led by an old chief known as El Toro, captured the priest. Padre Sanchez, who 
had come out from the Alission to viaiisar* the natives, and tied him to a tree. 
Stirred to savage anger by this capture of their padre, the Valley Indians, led by 
Juan Antonio, gathered in force and fiercely drove off his captors, rescuing him 
from a cruel fate. The occasional attacks and thieving depredations of the Indians 
persisted throughout the forties. Even as late as 1849 the Vejar family moved on 
this account, to the place in what is now Walnitt, where they built a large adobe 
house, surrounding the place with a high wall, or trascorral. This hacienda re- 
mained the family home until after the death of both Ricardo Vejar and his wife. 

There is a story of hidden treasure which comes from this period — one story 
probably in its origin though told now in many versions. One of these versions 
is of a Mexican known as Old Prieto, who was traveling between San Gabriel 
and San Bernardino and who stopped at the Rancho to eat a watermelon. Con- 
tinuing on his way he soon became violently ill. Whether the melon was poisoned, 
or from some other cause, he died and the Indian who had journeyed with him 
reported that he had buried a box for Prieto under a sycamore tree with an elbow- 
shaped limb. Later it was reported that the box contained much treasure, and so, 
as the story has passed down from generation to generation, many have sought 
for this treasure, and all over the \'alley you may find under the sycamores and 
oaks, especially if gnarled and unshapely, old holes and mounds of earth where 
those who have heard the story, perhaps from some old settler or Indian, have 
dug and dug, often secretly and at night, but always in vain — so far as the world 
knows. But Ramon A^ejar says that "Old Prieto" was merely a poor old fellow 
who did cat a watermelon and died from eating it, but he had no money or 
anything else to hide. And the true story of the buried treasure as told by Don 
Ramon is this : 



* To gentle, that is to civilize tticni. 



HISTORY AND r.IoCRAI'llV 53 

TIku w.i- .1 man by tlic name of Tihurcin 'J'apia. who was ciillivating some 
land at Cucamonga, having also land on the Malibu ranch, and a store in Los 
Angeles. Tims he was obliged to make the journey sometimes between the pueblo 
and his ranches, traveling usually en una carrcia de bucycs — in an ox-cart. It 
was at a time when Micheltorena, Governor of California from 1S4J to 1K4.^, was 
raising money to pay his soldiers, who were fighting "contra los Califoriiios." 
Being a man wlio was known to have some means, Tapia feared that he would he 
requisitioned to help Micheltorena carry on his campaign, so he made one of these 
journeys from Los Angeles to San Bernardino, taking with him a lot of gold 
doubloons, jewels and other treasure. As usual on these trips an Indian, oidy une, 
went with him. On reaching the line of the San Jose Rancho, (probably the 
eastern line) he sent the Indian on to San Bernardino with a special message to 
the mayor of the town, asking him to come and meet him. The Indian noticed 
upon his return that the boxes they had brought with them were gone. I'lcing 
attacked suildcnly by fever, Tapia ujion his death bed narrated how he had buried 
the treasure under a sycamore tree, just under a great limb, bending sharjjly 
upward like an elbow. But his story must have been cut short, for no one could 
find the treasure, and years afterward when the building was torn down in whicl; 
he had had his store, they found quantities of silks all spoiled, which he had hidden 
between the rafters. 

GRANTS ADJOINING TIIF. RANCHO SAN JOSK 

When ral'iniares ancl X'ejar rcceiveil their grant ti) the Rancho San Jose, 
all the land adjoining it belonged to the Mexican government. The rancho and all 
about it was land which had been used for grazing by the San Gabriel Mission. 
But the fields of the \'alley on either siile were soon occupied. First came Luis 
Arenas who, as we have said, not only shared with Palomares and X'ejar in the 
new grant of the rancho and its addition, but also secured for himself a grant to 
the west, known first as "The .\<ldition to the .\d<lition to the San Jose Rancho,'' 
but later simply as the San Jose Addition. 

.Ml these holdings of .Xrenns were bought in the early forties by Henry 
Dalton, an English sea captain, the .Arenas family, after this, living on the old 
Arenas place called the Iluaje, deeded to them later. 

The first deed of sale from .\renas to Dalton seems not to have been recorded, 
but the sale was confirmed judicially December 24, 1844, and includes besides 
"the rancho known by name of .Vzusa with horses, corrals, improvements, stock 
fand so on) according to inventory." but also .Arenas' third interest in the San 
Jose Rancho granted by decree of .\pril 15, 1837, and "one league of Ganado 
Mayor in addition." 

Henry Dalton. who securcil the .Arenas interests, was a short, energetic man. 
ambitious to gain large possessions in the new land, and well known in Soutliern 
California for many years. He had been for a time a merchant in Peru. His 
roving, restless disposition was satisfied at last to find scope for his activities in 
California. Marrying a Mexican wife he made himself a home, and his brother 
George followed him to Caliform'a from England. With hcadfjuarters in Los 
Angeles, where he secured some property and built a nimiber of buildings, he 
made payments on large tracts of land in the coimlry. In addition to the San Jose 
interests he secnre<l a grant for the .\zusa Ranch of al)out 4.000 acres, and another 
for the San Francisquito Ranch of 8,000 acres, lying south of Santa .\nita and 



54 HISTORY AND P.IOGRAPHY 

southeast of Azusa. Thus a considerable part of the "Lucky Baldwin" ranch and 
some of the lands of El Monte were a part of his holdings. It was this Henry 
Dalton who, according to Newmark, put up "the first fireproof buildings in Los 
Angeles, a couple of corrugated iron buildings at the corner of Spring and Court 
Street, and later a two-story brick building on Main Street near Second." Of 
the sequel to his earlier deals in real estate we shall read later. 

To the east of the Rancho San Jose, beyond the arroyo of the San Antonio 
and stretching from the slopes of Cucamonga far to the south, lay a broad, un- 
broken plain whose fields, especially in the lower reaches, offered fine pasturage 
for cattle. For these lands to the east and south of the San Jose, Don Antonio 
Maria Lugo petitioned the Mexican government, about the time of the first grant 
to Palomarcs and Vejar, and received in 1841 a grant to the great Santa Ana del 
Chino Rancho of some 22,000 acres. One of the most conspicuous figures among 
the early rancheros, he already possessed valuable property in Los Angeles and 
thousands of cattle and flocks on other ranches. The San Antonin Rancho south 
of Los Angeles had been granted to him and given his name, ami here he had 
lived until he built his adobe home in Los Angeles in 1879. 

Characterizing Don Antonio Maria Lugo as "a type of the great overlords of 
the Mexican era," McGroarty * gives the following description of his personality, 
which because of its vividness and interest we venture to quote in full: 

"A fine figure of a man was Don Antonio, si.x feet tall in his stockings, spare 
and sinewy, lithe and strong as a mountain lion, his hair lilack as the raven's wing, 
his jaw square cut and firm, his eyes dark as night, piercing yet gentle and easily 
moved to tenderness. He was a pure type of the noblest Spaniard. 

"In all the Californias, Lugo was the best and most noted horseman, and 
that was saying a great deal in a land of horsemen. It is related that in 1846, 
when he had become an old man, he rode from Los Angeles to Monterey to pay 
a visit to his sister, the Doha Maria Antonio Lugo de Vallejo. They had been 
long absent the one from the other. As he rode into IMontcre}' with his two 
companions, Doiia Maria was seated on the porch of her house, a considerable 
distance away on an eminence which overlooked the city and the beautiful bay. 
As the horsemen came into view at a turn in the road, Doha Maria shaded her 
eyes, gazed long, and exclaimed, 'There comes my brother!' A young girl who 
sat beside the old lady answered her, saying, 'O grandmother, yonder come three 
horsemen, it is true, but no one can tell who they are at that distance.' Dona 
Maria replied fiuickly, 'But, girl, my old eyes are sharper than yours. That tall 
man in the middle is my brother whom I have not seen for twenty years. I know 
him by his seat in the saddle. No man in California rides like him. Hurry oft", 
girl, 'call your mother and aimts, ^'our brcithcrs, sisters and cousins, and let us go 
forth 1o welcome him.' 

"Notwithstanding that it was a ]5art of Don Antonio's duties to assist in keep- 
ing the coast free of pirates, and that his sword and carbine were frecjuently called 
in play, he lived a long life. He had relations with all the Spanish governors of 
California, except the first three, and he saw California pass under the rule of 
three flags. His descendants were and are still numerous, and wherever they 
are found today in either a high or a low estate, it is their proudest boast that 
his blood flows through their veins." 

It is not unlikely that Lugo would, have been content with his many leagues 
of land near Los .Angeles were it not for his family, for whuni he wi'-heri to make 

* Mc^.i-oarty — Califnrni.i. pp. ISt^, HiO. 



HISTORY AMJ BIOGRAI'llV 55 

provision. For at the time of the Cliiiio grant he was about sixty years of age. 
It was chiefly on account of his dauglUer, who became the wife of Colonel Wil- 
Hams, that this grant of the Rancho del Chiiio was secured. Both the manage- 
ment and the title to the great rancho soon passed into the hands of Colonel 
Williams, although Don Antonio still lived for twenty-five years, dying at a ripe 
old age in liis Los .-Xngeles home. .And during this time he rode much over the 
ranch, as indeed over the whole \'alley in his capacity as Judge of the Plains, 
presiding at rodeos and meting out justice among the people, much as do the 
Kaids in Mohammedan territories today, and with something of their influence 
and power. Doubtless he was much at home with his daughter in the old Chino 
ranch house. 

In his time Colonel Julian Isaac Williams was probably the best known of 
all the rancheros in the \'alley. .\ native of Pennsylvania, he had come W'est as 
a young man and lived the life of a cowboy on the plains of \ew Mexico and 
Arizona. Coming to California as early as 1832, he had been in Los .\ngeles 
and vicinity for ten years, keeping a store for a time on the spot made famous 
later by the Bella L'nion Hotel. In 1842 he moved to the Chino Ranch, and in 
1843 was given a grant to the 10,000 or 12.000 acres north and east of the Chino 
comprising the Cucamonga Ranch, and making with the Rancho del Chino. under 
which designation ii was often included, a total of some 33,000 acres. 

The "hacienda del Chino," or Chino Ranch House, built by Colonel Williams, 
was destined to become a historic place, and one of the most celebrated in the 
Southwest. The trail from Los .\ngeles to Yuma and Old Mexico led by this 
place, and much of the travel to San Bernardino also went this way. Everywhere 
the Chino Ranch House was known for its hospitality and good cheer. Travelers 
in need found not onI\' an open door, but they found also in Colonel \\ illiams a 
host always ready to assist them with food or clothing or horses, given or loaned 
till such time as they could repay. Later in this chapter we shall see how soon 
this hacienda became the scene of events of more than local importance. 

Southwest of the Rancho San Jose, and adjoining it along the border, from 
the Tinaja Oak on the west to the corner of the Black W alnut at the .'ionthwcst. 
there remained for a tiine unoccupied by private claimants, tli<nisands of acres 
of the finest grazing lands, hills and valleys green with verdure in spring and 
covered with much feed the year around, the upper waters of the San Gabriel 
flowing through the western edge. On July 22, 1X4.^. a large tract of this land 
called La Puente Rancho and containing nearly fifty th'^usand acres, was granted 
to William Workman and John Rowland. The story of the early days of La 
Puente Rancho is largely the story of these two men during the latter part of 
their lives. They had been partners, real "pards," as young men in New Mexico 
in various enterprises and at various places. John Rowland was born in Mary- 
land, William Workman in England, coming as a boy to St. Louis. Both were 
endowed with the spirit of the pioneer, impelling them westward to the frontier. 
At Taos, \. M., they acquired vast tracts r>i land, and built a large milling estab- 
lishment, and in connection with it, a distillery. Then, in 1841, they came together 
to the California coast and to Los .\ngeles. Together they rode out into the 
country and over the fields and hills of La Puente, where they realizeil the rich 
possibilities in cattle and grain and other native products. 1 lere. too, they came, 
not as adventurers, but as substantial builders, ready to cast in their lot with 
others and become a vital part of the life into which they came. Both had mar- 
ried young women of Spanish blood, from fine families of Mexico or Spain, 



56 HISTORY AXD lUOGRArilY 

tlic wife of John Rowland being Dona Incarnacion Martinez, and Workman's 
wife Dona Nicolarsa Uriarte, whose faiiiil\- had come to Old Mexico from Spain. 

In 1842, the following year, Rowland and Workman brought their families 
from New Mexico to Los Angeles, and with them a number of friends, some of 
whom were to be, like Rowland and Workman, prominent figures in the early 
history of the country. Notable among these were John Reed, who had married 
Rowland's older daughter, Nieves, and Lienjamin D., or Cenito, \Mlson. Although 
they established themselves in Los Angeles and built homes there which they 
retained, Rowland and Reed and Workman built ranch houses at La Puente, 
and spent much of their time with their families on the ranch. The Puente 
homestead of William ^^'orkma^ was the first brick house in the region and was a 
landmark widely known for its beauty, its commanding site and its appointments. 
Here also John Reed built uji the i)lace which later became the homestead of 
William R. Rowland, familiarly known throughout the valley as Billy Rowland. 
a son and heir of John Rowdand. the i)ioneer. 

Securing seed from the east and cuttings from the ^^lission, they sowed some 
acres to grain and planted a vineyard, but for the most part they bought sheep 
and cattle and were soon engaged in stock raising on a large scale. 

The ten years from 1836 to 18-1() li;ul thus wrought a marked change in 
this Valley. If Richard H. Dana, when he landed at San Pedro and visited Los 
Angeles, on his celebrated voyage, of which every one has read in his "Two 
Years Before the Mast," had ridden eastward through the valley following the 
old trail, "El Camino Real de San Bernardino." he woidd have found in 1835 
no settlers between San Gabriel and San Bernardino, only scattered Indian camps, 
and a few corralcs built for the JMission cattle that roamed over the plains. But 
in 1846, the year of California's great travail, when for a short time Colonel 
Fremont was stationed at Los Angeles, if the great "Pathfinder" rode over the 
same trail, as he may have done in the course of his expeditions, he found his 
journey broken into various stages as he rode from rancho to rancho, each stage 
marked by the hacienda of a grandee, with liis following of ]\Iexicans and Indians. 
Leaving San Gabriel, he would come first to the little camp of Fd Monte, and then 
to the rancho La Puente, wdnere Workman and Rowland and Reed had built 
their ranch houses. Riding to the northeast he would pass over the Arenas fields 
now owned by the English Captain Henry Dalton, and so come to the hacienda 
of Palomares by the San Jose Hills. From this point his path led either by the 
Cucamonga Addition to the north, or by the more frequented trail to the Chino 
Ranch Hou.se, where Colonel Williams and his retinue held the great Lugo estate — 
The Rancho Santa Ana del Chino. Beyond the Chino, on the way to Yuma and 
Sonora, Mexico, one came to Warner's Ranch, another historic spot, where Gen- 
eral Kearney camped on his arrival in California and before his junction with 
Stockton. 

During the troublous year of 1846 the interminable problem of tlie division 
of the San Jose Rancho among its owners first took definite shape. Between the 
original owners there had been no trouble, no thought of separation, no question 
of boundaries. The San Jose de Ariba was Palomares' ; the San Jose de Abajo 
was Vejar's, the "Addition" was Arenas' ; there were no fences and the cattle 
were separated from time to time, as they must also be from those of other herds, 
at the rodeos, by their brands. But after Arenas had sold out his interest to 
Henry Dalton, the question of division arose. Dalton, with numerous other 
interests, and with various schemes for subdivision and sale of land, persuaded 



HISTORY AND UK U^.RAIM IV 57 

Ricardo X'cjar to join with him in a petition for tlic partition of tlic entire Rancho 
among the three owners, Vgtiacio I'aloniares, Ricarilo \'ejar and I lenry DaUon. 
Palomarcs objected to the partition and jirotested against tlie divi--ion ])ro|)oscd. 
Nevertheless tlie petition was presented to Juan Gallardo, alcalde of the pueblo 
of Los Angeles, who by virtue of his office was judge of the first instance in the 
district and empowered to make such ilecisions; and he ordered the partitiun as 
requested, on the twelfth of l'el)ruary, ]H-\('k It is interesting to observe here that 
wliile the original grants were recognized later by the I'nited States Land Com- 
mission, and confirmed by the I'nited States District Court in 18/5, and wliile 
the United States Government issued a jiatent to Dalton, I'alomares and W-ps 
for the Rancho, yet as late as 1SS4. the Supreme Court of Califi»rnia, in a case 
brought by the Mound City Land and Water Company against I'liillips ami others, 
to quiet title, set aside the decree of partition made by Juan Gallardo, and ordered 
a new partition. This new partition, Imwever, has never been made, and the old 
partition has been valid to all intents and purposes to the present time. It may 
also be stated in this connection that this negation of the i)artiti<in of Gallanlo, 
which may seem at first to the laymaii to jeopardize all titles to the lands involved 
during fiftv years of growth of valley and town, with the thousands of transac- 
tions involved, does not affect at all the validity of title to any lots in the towii'^ite 
or tract of Pomona, this having been specifically stipulated by the parties to tl;c 
suit. In fact the title to all these lands is said to be "the best of all the present 
townsitcs in Los Angeles County." 

.\ntici[)ating the course of subsequent events in order to segregate at once so 
far as practicable the subject of titles and boundaries, five important events may 
be noted. 

By act of Congress, March .\ 1851, the United States Lanil Commission was 
created to ascertain and settle the private land claims in the state of California. 

On September 2'K 1852. Henry Dalton and Ygnacio Palnmares both filed 
new petitions asking for a partition of the Rancho. 

On January 31, 1854, the Board of Land Commissioners conhrmed the claim- 
of each to an undivided third interest in the Rancho San Jose. alsQ the claim of 
Dalton to the San Jose Addition, but nothing was done as to the partitif)n. 

In December, 1855. the United States District Court of Southern Califurnia, 
on appeal, confirmed the title of Ygnacio Palomares to an undivided third ni the 
wdiole Rancho (including the first addition). 

Finally, on January 20, 1875, the United States Government, by President 
Grant, issued a patent to Dalton. Palomares and \ejar for the Rancho as a whole, 
specifying the total area as 22,340 acres. 

DliSCRIPTIO.V OF TIIJ-: L0C.\TII1N ol' TlIK Ra.vciio S.w Josii 

The United States patent issued to Ygnacio Palomarcs and his associates, 
Dalton and \'ejar, confirming their title to the Rancho San Jose, contains three 
descriptions of the Rancho. One is that adopted by the Board of Land Commis- 
sioners January 31, 1854, when, acting upon the petition of Palomarcs and Dalton 
filed in September, 1852, it confirmed the titles of the three grantees to undividcl 
thirds in the Rancho. This refers to a map and testimonial filed with the Com- 
mission in Case 388. The second description is that adopted by the District Court 
for the Southern District of California in December, 1855, further confirming 
Palomares' title, and refers to a map "accom])anying the c.vf<aiit-iilc" and to the 



58 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

description "in the testimonial of juridical possession in this case." With this is 
also the first description of the "addition." These two descriptions we have 
already given because of their quaint and historic interest. The third description 
is that of the survey by Deputy Surveyor G. H. Thompson, made under the direc- 
tion of the United States Surveyor General in 1866, and verified by W. P. Rey- 
nolds. Deputy Surveyor, in 1874, and is the one upon which the final patent, 
signed by President U. S. Grant in January, 1875, is based. The third description, 
in the usual technical form, is too long for insertion in full, but the location of the 
corners and the general direction of the boundaries may be outlined in a popular 
way. The description begins at the southeast corner of the Rancho, as in the 
second description, at station S. J. No. 1, where the "black willow" of the old 
survey stood in the hills southwest of Chino. 

The next station, S. J. No. 2, is about 600 yards southwest from this on the 
east bank of a deep arroyo. From here a course of nearly two miles extends 
over rolling hills to the station S. J. No. 5, in a ravine near several springs, and 
west of where the line between San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties turns 
northward. Thence the third course runs northwesterly over the "Puente Hills" 
toward the town of Spadra, dropping over the hills to the station S. J. No. 4, on the 
east bank of the Arroyo Pedregoso (commonly called Pedegosa). From this 
point the fourth course crossing the Arroyo bends a little more toward the west 
and, following the south line of the Rubottom property, which is also the north 
line of the Rancho Nogales, it crosses the old Puente road, now the Variley Boule- 
vard, and comes after crossing the San Jose wash to the corner S. J. No. 9. This 
is also the northwest corner of the Nogales Ranch and the east corner. Station 
No. 13, of La Puente. It is the point where the "black walnut of the juridical 
possession" once stood, and is beside the road which leads into the canyon at the 
southwest corner of the Arnett place. The next or fifth side, more than three 
miles long, runs twenty-three degrees west of north, over the San Jose Hills to 
the corner S. J. No. 10, marked in the old surveys by the Tinaja Oak. This corner 
is in the district of Charter Oak, near the old stage road from Los Angeles to San 
Bernardino. It is north of Covina Avenue, between Sunflower and Valley Center, 
northeast of the center of what was B. F. Allen's forty acres — the N.W. '4 of 
S.E. 1/4 of Section 8. 

From the Tinaja C)ak the sixth course runs in a direction thirty degrees north 
of east, some three and a half miles to the corner S. J. No. 11, marked by the 
Botcllo Oak in the old surveys. This corner is close to the Foothill Boulevard, 
north of San Dimas and near the foot of the incline as the road descends from 
the mesa into the Canada de San Dimas where the Teague nursery and pumping 
plants are. 

From the Botello Oak, the seventh course is a long one of over five miles, 
running about east-south-east, north of La Verne and Nordi Pomona, and through 
Clarcniont, to the northeast corner of the Rancho, at S. J. No. 12, which is situ- 
ated south of the Santa Fe Railway and east of Mills Avenue in the orchard of 
Alexander Kirkpatrick. Two short pieces of road mark this old line in Clare- 
mont, one on Hamilton Avenue from Indian Hill Boulevard to Alexander Avenue, 
and the other on Second Street from Columbia to Sycamore. From this northeast 
corner, the next three courses, difTering little in direction, follow the county line 
west of south for more than five miles in the general direction of the San Antonio 
wash, to the point of beginning, S. J. No. 1, at the southeast corner of the Rancho. 
Mills .Avenue follows this line from a little south of Cucamonga Avenue in Clare- 



HISTORY AND P.K X'.RAI'I IV 5') 

mont to Holt Avenue in Pomona, and the two slight bends arc at Kinf^'^lcy Avenue 
and at Lexington Street in the Phillips Addition. 

The line of partition between the San Jose de Ariba and the San Jose dc 
Abajo ran from a point north of the Tinaja Oak southeasterly along what is now 
the northeast line of the Packard Orange Grove Tract, crossing Orange Grove 
Avenue at Lewis Street and following the south sides of the Ybarra lot in the 
Alvarado Tract. From the southwest corner of this tract the line runs in a direc- 
tion slightly south of east straight to its intersection with the cast line near Holt 
Avenue, crossing the city itself near Pearl Street. 

Less than a mile froni the I'otello Oak in the seventh course, the "DaJtun line 
of partition" runs west of south to the above partition line dividing the San Jose 
from west to east. This parole partition separated the Dalton section in the San 
Jose from that of the Palomares. 

The "San Jose Adilition" is a five-sided piece, of irregular shape, one side 
of which coincides with the sixth side of the "Rancho San Jose" between the 
corners of the Tinaja and Botello Oaks. Another side runs north of west from 
the corner of the I'olello Oak to the much disputed north corner, southeast of 
Glendora. This corner was marked by an oak which parlies living to the north 
attempted again and again to burn or destroy, so as to push their south line 
farther south. There was much dispute over the corner, but finally it was located 
by formal agreement, and the road which follows the new line from the Botello 
Oak corner to this one, has since been known as "Compromise Road." Thence a 
line runs over the hills southwesterly to the west corner of the Ad'lition southwest 
of Glendora and near the intersection of the quarter-sections in the center of 
Section One, T. 1 S., R. 10 W. It is just south of Gladstone .\venue, near P.cn 
Lomond. The Azusa ditch now ends just above this corner. Thence the fourth 
side runs southeasterly across the San Dimas wash to intersect the north line of 
the Puente Rancho east of the Covina Canal and south and cast of the bend in 
the railway. This corner is about a quarter of a mile south of Covina Avenue, 
between Glendora and Grant Avenue, a quarter of a mile east of where the San 
Picrnardino Road turns north. The fifth side ft)llows the north line of the Puente 
Rancho, a little north of westerly, to the corner of the Tinaja Oak. To the south 
of this line lies the Hollenbeck Tract in the Puente Rancho. 

CONNECTIONS WITH THE WORLD OUTSIDE 

In these early days before the railroads or telegraph, before the overland 
stage or pony express, the connections with the world outside were few indeed. 
News of the most important events in "The States" arrived by some traveler Ion;.; 
after their occurrence. Messages of greatest consequence were sent across the 
continent by special couriers. . This isolation from the alTairs of the world di>-- 
turbed very little the leisurely people of the \'alley in the early forties. So long 
as there was pasture for their stock and market for their produce, so long as their 
fields yielded sustenance for their families and the people about them, so long as 
the pueblo and the Mission ministered at times to their social and spiritual needs, 
why should they be concerned with the affairs of people beyond the mountains 
and over seas ? 

But there came a time when the doings of men in the north and of men in 
the far east were of the utmost conset|uence to every man who owneil property 
in the \'alley, and to all its inhabitants as well. .Among the rancheros who met 



60 HISTORY AND IlIOGRAPHY 

from time to time at the Bella Union or at the stores in Los Angeles late in 1845 
and early in 1<~!46. there develo])e(l an increasing restlessness; there were rumors 
from the north of trouble between the Californians and the settlers or adventurers 
of other nationalities, and these rumors were rcilccted in growing uneasiness at 
home. English, l'"rench and .Americans were ac(|uiring more and more property 
and land, and with it more power, ^^'ere the real Californians, Mexicans in their 
own i'rovince, to be crowded out? Should there not be, as there had been in the 
past, rigid laws e.\]>elling and excluding all others from the Province? More- 
over, the government of the Department of California since the beginning of the 
Mexican regime had never been administered firmly and effectively, as in the "good 
old days of the King." There had been bitter struggles and conflict between 
aspirants to the position of governor. One administration had follow'ed another, 
with two exceptions, in quick succession. .Vftcr Arguello and Echeandia there 
had been Manuel Victoria, 1831-32; Pio Pico, 1832-33; Jose Figueroa, 1833-35; 
Jose Castro, 1835-36; Nicholas Gutierrez and Mariano Chico, both also in 1836. 
Juan Bautista Alvarado, to be sure, had served well from 1836 to 1842 ; then had 
come Micheltorena, 1842-45, and now Pio Pico was governor again. It seemed 
that the home government was losing its grip on its distant provinces. Neither 
the civil government nor the military could secure necessary assistance from the 
national exchequer, and the fatal move secularizing and ruining the JNIissions had 
cut them both off from the chief sinirce of revenue at home, as if they ha<l killed 
the goose that laid the golden egg, so that they were compelled for support to 
draw often upon their own and other private resources. Santa Anna, the Mexican 
president, was having troubles far more important, as it appeared, nearer home. 
Even then, although the news had not reached California, Mexico was practically 
at war with the United States, Congress having annexed Te.xas in March ( 1845), 
and General Zachary Taylor, under President Polk, having marched to the Rio 
Grande and blockaded its entrance at Brownsville and JMatamoras in May. At 
home the bitter feeling between the governor, Pio Pico, and General Castro, chief 
of the military forces of the province, had grown to open enmity. The general, 
Don Jose Castro, himself governor of the province ten years before, conservative, 
proud of hi-- family and race, and at heart intensely lo}al to California, saw clearly 
the trend of events and the danger to California both from the decay within and 
from the aggression of adventurers from without. And he was annoyed and 
angered at the indifference and inefficiency of the governor, his greed and selfish- 
ness, and his willingness to sacrifice the best interests of the Province in politic 
moves for his own self-interest. In this triangular array of hostile forces the 
rancheros and caballeros, with their following in the south, rallied generally about 
Don Pio Pico. Here perhaps was the beginning of the age-long rivalry which has 
burned between the northern and southern parts of the state, blazing out fiercely 
at times and then smoldering unnoticed, but never quite dying out. At any rate, 
Pio Pico was an Angelehan ; his ranches and his friends were in Southern Cali- 
fornia ; even as governor he had chosen to live at his home in l,os Angeles, far 
from the seat of government at Monterey. Numbers even of those early settlers 
from the states, who had married California sefioritas and so cast in their lot with 
the Mexican people, associated themselves with Pio Pico in the impending conflict. 
At length to the eager groups of men gathered in the Plaza and at the Mission 
came the news of open rebellion and a coup d' ctaf. Castro had taken matters into 
his own hands. Having tried in vain to persuade Pio Pico to join him in vigorous 
measures against the foreigners, he had assumed supreme authority and com- 



HISTORY .WD lUOCRAl'IlV 61 

menccd an active campaign against tlicni, cs|K.'cially the Americans. Issuing urdcrs 
of expulsion from the Province, lie had hegim to eject them by force. .\t Monterey 
lie was rallying about him all the forces he could command. ('leneral Xallejn, in 
command of tiie little garrison at Sonoma, had reluctantly contributed some burses 
and equipment. Tiic -Americans around the I'ay had com))ined l>i resist and had 
actually captured the fort at Sonoma, arresting Genera! \'allejo and his officers 
and making them prisoners at Sutter's Fort. More than that, they bad hauled 
down the Mexican tlag and raised a new one called the Hear I'lag. 

The news flew f|uickly, as men rode from the I'laza and the Mission, to rancho 
after rancho of the \'alley, and other news soon followed. The .\mericans had 
captured a band of horses which .Mviso was leading to (leneral Castro. The 
General bad taken a number of .\mericans and was strengthening bis position at 
San Rafael. On June 14, when the Americans captured X'allejo and his garrison 
at Sonoma, they had announced a new government, calling it the Rcl'itblic of 
California. They had proclaime<l their intention of overthrowing the existing 
government because of its seizure of property, "individual aggrandizement,"' 
enormous exactions on imported goods, its failure to provide a rci)ul)lican govern- 
ment or to permit purchase or rental of lands. 

There was much discussion over this proclamation. To be sure, it promised 
that those who were not found under arms should not l)e disturbed in any way, 
and there were assurances of republican goveriuiicnt, and of civil and religious 
liberty ; but almost universally among the loyal Mexicans, south as well as north, 
there was only anger or contempt. The proclamation said they had been "invited 
to this country by a promise of lands on which to settle themselves and families." 
Who had invited them, and by what authority? What right had these (jringos 
to their California lands, or to a part in their government? r>ut the whole affair 
would seem absurd. — a little handful of a score or more foreigners venturing to 
overturn the Mexican regime, a government inheriting its authority from the 
Spanish Crown, and that over an empire which had been owned and ruled by men 
of Spanish blood for over three bundre<l years ! Castro would soon exterminate 
the usurpers. 

But wiser beads saw in the "Bear Flag Republic" the forerunner of .\merican 
occupation, and while it was stoutly (and truly) asserted that the movement was 
without authority from the United States Government, yet they were not surprised, 
a few days later, to learn that a company of .American cavalry under Captain 
Freniont had marched down from his camj) on .\merican River to support the 
party at Sonoma. Already the fame of Fremont, "The Pathfinder," had spread 
up and down the Coast. Strong and sinewy as an Indian, the peer of any hunter 
as a rider antl ritleman, hardy and without fear, he was also a trained engineer 
and officer in the United States .Army. When, therefore, it was reported that 
Fremont had lieen placed at the head of the new republic and had driven General 
Castro and de la Torre, with all their men, from San Rafael, from San Pablo and 
from Port Verba Buena, as San Francisco was then called, there was great dismay 
among all the Californians of the south. But among the few .\mericans, by the 
same token, there was great rejoicing. They had come to realize that Mexico 
could not retain this country. They knew also that England and France, especially 
the former, had never forgotten the dreams of Drake and their other explorers, 
and were only awaiting the opportune moment to intervene. Moreover, Pio Pico 
and most of the Californians were known to be far more favorable to intervention 
by France or England, if worse shoul<l come to worst, than by the I'nited States. 



62 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

Now the die was cast and the United States must come to the rescue. They may 
or may not have known here at the time — it matters not — of Fremont's hesitation 
at first to join the rcvohitionary movement; how he repeatedly refused to act 
without authority from the government at Washington, and only consented when 
the little force at Sonoma were threatened with annihilation as Castro's three 
divisions were advancing against them. Fremont had saved the Americans and 
advanced their cause, anticipating at the critical moment the action of other powers. 
And even if he had far exceeded his rights, acting without orders from his superi- 
ors, it was impossible to communicate with them ; the case was desperately urgent, 
and history would justify his course. 

During those exciting days in the latter part of June, 1846, the Americans 
were often in consultation, gathering in Los Angeles from all the surrounding 
region. Fourth of July had a new significance for them this year, altliougli they 
could not celebrate the day openly. Neither did they know that, at the very 
moment. Commodore John Drake Sloat (of the United States Navy), on the 
battleship Savannah, was anchored in the harbor of Monterey, with official orders 
to take possession of the ports of California in the name of the United States. Not 
until the seventh of July were the Stars and Stripes raised over the Capital at 
Monterey, such was the deliberation and indecision of Commodore Sloat, just 
arrived from Mazatlan and waiting to confer with the American Consul, Larkin, 
and to become acquainted with conditions on the Coast. 

Messengers, more than one, riding hard upon fleet horses, brought the news 
from Monterey to Los Angeles and San Diego. Strange tidings they brought 
along the King's Highway, and spreading thence to every corner of the Province! 
War between the United States and Mexico! It had been declared in May, two 
months ago! Two hundred and fifty sailors and marines had landed at Monterey 
under Captain Mervine, and the port was in their possession. Commodore Sloat 
had issued a proclamation declaring that henceforward California would be a 
portion of the United States, urging inhabitants to accept peaceably the privileges 
of citizenship, and inviting judges, alcaldes and other civil ofiicers to retain their 
offices. He had also sent messages to General Castro at San Juan Bautista and 
to Governor Pico at Los Angeles, urging them to surrender and inviting them to 
Monterey for conference. 

To the Californians came also the news that Castro was marching south, 
calling upon all to arm themselves and join his force in defense of the I'rovince, 
also that the governor had called a meeting of the provincial assembly. 

To the Americans came further accounts of the raising of the Stars and Stripes 
in place of the Bear Flag by Fremont and his men at Sutter's Fort, with a salute 
of twenty-one guns from a brass four-pounder ; of a similar demonstration by the 
garrison under Ide and i\Ierritt and Semple at Sonoma, and again at San Francisco. 

Here in the south there was intense excitement and feeling. Men like \'arela 
were eager to fight. Pio Pico and his friends were enraged but unwilling to 
join forces with Castro. Others counseled moderation. They could not hope 
finally to win against "The States," and the home government apparently could 
not save them. Better to yield to the inevitable and accept the privileges offered 
without discrimination. It might not be so bad. The proclamation of Commodore 
Sloat promised that peaceable inhabitants should enjoy "the same rights and privi- 
leges as the citizens of any other portion of that territory, with all the rights and 
privileges they now enjoy, together with the privilege of choosing their own 
magistrates and other officers for the administration of justice among themselves" ; 



HISTORY AND niOGRAI'IlV 63 

it promisetl religious freedom greater than they luul i-iijoycil iiiider Mexico, and 
lighter taxes ; it assured thcni continued possession of all their property snd land. 

In the San Jose X'alley divisitins arose hetwccn one ranclio and another. 
Palomares and Vejar were friends of Pio Pico; the former as a "juez del Campo." 
Judge of the Plains, was probably present at the provincial assembly. The 
Rowlands and W orkmans and their friends at La Puente were out-and-out 
Americans. Colonel Williams, like many other .Americans who were married in 
the early days to tiaughtcrs of prominent Californians, found his ))osition a difficult 
one. A few of these men cast in their lot with Pio Pico, but more were found 
with those who went to meet Fremont and pledge allegiance to their native land. 
Doubtless their counsel and influence had weight among the Californians who 
urged moderation. 

However futile it may be, so far as the past is concerned, the consideration of 
those incidents which have shaped the course of later events, and the possibilities 
which might have resulted had these incidents been different, must always have 
their place in the mind of a student of history. If only Commodore Sloat had 
remained in command of the forces of occupation; if the cordial spirit of his 
proclamation had been maintained, or if Captain Fremont had been allowed to 
conduct the negotiations with the Californians at San Pedro; if there had been 
wisilom and tact, a pro])er recognition of the native pride and natural rights of the 
Californians, it is quite probable that the State would have joined the Union with- 
out bloodshed and that no part of the Mexican War need have been fought on Cali- 
fornia soil. 

But Cpmmodore Sloat. on account of illness, it is said, was very soon replaced 
by ComnKjdore K. F. Stockton, who arrived at the Port of Monterey July 15. 
Thus only a week after the raising of the flag, came a new executive, and with him 
a new policy. .\ new proclamation appeared, as unlike the first as darkness and 
light, — harsh and false, and irritating in the extreme. Sending Fremont to San 
Diego, Stockton himself came with the consul, Mr. Parkin, to San Pedro and 
prepared to march in force against Los .\ngeles. By this time Castro had reached 
Los Angeles and was in conference with Pio Pico. Finding that neither the 
assembly nor the governor had authqrized a general mobilization of the Province 
for resistance, Castro agreed with Pico to the sending of a delegation under Jose 
Maria Flores to negotiate with Stockton, but the haughty commodore refused to 
treat with them, saying that they and all others under arms must be dealt with 
as rebels. 

Failing, then, to agree upon a plan of vigorous resistance, or perhaps realizing 
its folly, both Pio Pico and Castro fled to Mexico, and Stockton, landing a force 
of marines, marched to Los .\ngeles. Thus, on a certain day in August of this 
eventful year of 1846, four of the notable characters in this romance of California 
were traveling with their companions not far from the pueblo of the South. The 
imperious commodore, Stockton, and his armed marines, were beginning their 
triumf)bal march over the lowlands from San I'edro. ( )n the Camino Real to the 
south Fremont and his men were riding from San Diego to join the commodore. 
As these two parties approached the puelilo, the other two were leaving it by 
different routes, one by boat from another port, and the other over the Camino 
Real de San Bernardino, through the San Jose \'alley and the San dorgonio Pass, 
on their way to Sonoma anil .Mexico. .\nd these four parties were ty|)ical, i>erhaps, 
of as many streams in the tide of human affairs. In two of them there were 
departing from these western slK)res the easy hospitality and '.he proud nobility 



64 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

of an older civilization; in tbe other two there were entering in its place hoth the 
domineering aggression and the l)rave sincerity of anotlier race. And these streams 
were setting this way and that, in waters which should long mingle freely and 
never be quite clear of each other, hut tinally should leave the Anglo-Saxon in the 
places whci-e the l.alin had been, c\rn as they had before displaced the Indian. 

Stockton and Kremont cnleied I ,(is Angeles without opposition. A new 
government was soon organizetl and prdclaimed, with Stockton as (lovernor and 
Fremont as military commander of llie lei'ritnry. Those who had enlisted in the 
opposition were declared free on jiarole. Then occurred another mistake. Reliev- 
ing there would he no further resistance, Stockton selected a young man of his 
own type, a Lieutenant tiillespie. left him in command with a small ciim]>any of 
men at Los .Angeles, and saile<l away to Monterey, at the same time sending 
Fremont and his army back to N'erha lUiena (San Francisco). The rancheros 
also returned to their ranches. I'.ut the end was not yet. In fact, the conditions 
were now just right for a great conflagration — on the one hand a young officer 
exercising his new authority oxer a sensitive people, issuing harsh regulations and 
punishing trivial offenses, and on the other, a company of hot-blooded young 
Mexicans, rebellious against ihe new regime. On the twent\--third of September 
a score or so of these young men, led by Serbulo \ arela. attacked the .\merican 
garrison under Cdllespie. This is not the place for an extended account of the 
Mexican war or ri'volution in California ; all this is told at length in other histories. 
Yet, for the penple in this \'alle\- in 1S40 the conflict was of transcendent impor- 
tance, and it is necessary to review the essential features of the story in order to 
understand what ]wrt they had in these stirring events, and why they were of such 
supreme conse<|uence. 

Here, as evervwhere in the Snutluvest, men prepared in earnest fur the war 
wdiich was now seen In be ine\ita])le. Those who luul served with Castro or with 
the I'icos, hurried to Los Angeles to join \arela. Here also were Andres I'ico 
and lose Antonio Carrillo. leaders in insurrections of other days against \"ictoria 
and Alvarado and jose Maria Flores, wdiose advances had been spurned by Stock- 
ton at San I'edro. Some of these had fought against eacli other in the past, but 
all were united now against a common foe. Flores was chosen as "Commandante 
General." .\t the ranches, little bands were organized to defend the haciendas 
against attack, and va(|ueros were set to guard against stampeding the cattle, — an 
effective means of attack sometimes, when arms and ammunition failed. 

While the Californians were gathering in Los Angeles or strengthening their 
garrisons on their ranches, the handful of Americans in the \'alley had chosen 
the Chino Ranch House for their rendezvous, and others joined them from Los 
Angeles. Here, though ill-supplied with guns and ammunition, they fortified 
themselves as well as they could. There was danger of attack not only from the 
Mexicans of California, but also from those of Old Mexico, whence Castro might 
return with reinforcements. From the neighboring hills they watched the road 
toward Warner's Ranch and Mexico, an.l the trails from the \ alley, nnrtli and 
west. It was a hardy band of pioneers, thirty-six in all, that were gathered in the 
well-known adobe ranch house. First of all, there was Colonel Williams him.self ; 
then there was George Walters from San liernardino, a New Orkan by birth, w ho 
had hunted over the Rocky ]\Iountain trails and driven mule teams in New 
Mexico before he came, a couple of years before, to Los Angeles. There was 
Louis Robidoux,* a loyal .American of l-'rench descent, who had ridden dver from 



♦This spelling, says Ncwm.irk, is in mcDnl willi llic ns.iRe of Robiil.iux liinisclf. 



HISTORY AND DIOGRAPHV 05 

his great estate on the Jiirupa Rancho. whereon the city of Riverside lias since 
arisen hy the mountain which hears his name. And there was tlie captain, Ilenja- 
niin Davis Wilson, generally known as P.enito. a pioneer from 'rennessec. who had 
come from New Mexico in 1841 with William Workman and John Rowland of 
La Puente. Already he was a man of considerable means and intluencc. Marricil 
to Ramona, daughter of 15ernardo Yorija, he and his party from Xew Mexico 
had fought with the Picos hitherto, first against Micheltorena. and in June of this 
year against Castro, and now, like Colonel Williams, he stood with the Americans. 
Possessing, later, thousands of acres in what is now Pasadena, his name also is 
perpetuated in Mount Wilson, formerly Wilson's Peak, W ith these .Americans 
were a number of Indians who had not forgotten their sufferings at the hands of 
\'allejo and of Pio I'ico. when he became governor again in 184.^. .\n(l there 
were also with them two or three Mexicans, bound to the Americans by ties of 
friendship or of marriage, which proved stronger than those of race, .\mong the 
latter was Juan (called Chicon ) Alvarado, of the San Jose Rancho. 

Captain Wilson and Colonel Williams, with their men. had not very long to 
wait. On the 27th Serbulo N'arela. with si.xty or seventy caballeros. from Los 
Angeles and from the ranchos on the way. apjjeared before the adobe rancii house. 
Riding up to the house, they fired a volley into the windows and doors at close 
range, and the .Vmcricans returned the fire. For a little time the fighting was fast 
and furious. Though protected somewliat by the adobe walls, the Americans were 
outnumbered three to one liy the Californians. and their ammunition soon gave 
out. Then a number of caballeros, flashing up close to the building with torches, 
managed to set fire to the roof. .\s the building began to burn, the rooms were 
filled with smoke and the Americans were com|)elled to come out and surrender. 
Among the Mexicans who had joined the attacking party were a number from 
the Rancho San Jose, some of them relatives and one a brother of Juan .\lvarado, 
who had gone over to the Americans. Against him they were especially furious. 
"Be sure to get Chicon," they cried.* 

Not all the Mexicans who rode to the scene of the battle were in the attacking 
party. Some were not ready to shoot down their old friends. .\nd there were 
boys who looked on as at a realistic circus, not realizing fully its significance. 
Ramon \'ejar, then a boy of sixteen, watched the battle with keen interest, wit- 
nessing the deatli of the one Californian who was killed. ( )thers on both sides 
were wounded, but this one, shot through the temples, died very shortly. During 
the fighting Ramon discovered his horse, which ha<l been seized among others by 
one of the soldiers, and recaptured it ; riding it home in spite of his father's advice 
not to take it lest he provoke the soldiers' anger. "The horse is mine. " he said, 
"and I am going to have it." 

Another incident of the battle is narrated by Don Ramon \ ejar concerning 
Captain Benito W ilson and the Mexican leader X'arela. When the .Xmericans 
were driven out by the flames, their ammunition practically exhausted, and Benito 
Wilson, who commanded much respect and confidence from the Californians, 
marched out before the others and surrendered to \'arela. there were many who 
wished to put the .\mericans to death at once. But X'arela. facing his men with a 
gun in each hand, said: "These men have surrendered to me and 1 am bound to 

• .Anil thai had been the charge of the people left at home on The Rancho: "Te cncnrRo g.irar 
Chicon;" — 1 charge you to get Chicon. 



66 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

protect them. I will kill any man who shoots one of them." And tliough there 
was much bitter and vengeful feeling, there was no more shooting. They were all 
taken as prisoners to Flores, the commander at Los Angeles, and treated wiUi 
much consideratiiin. 

With this battle at the Chino Ranch House began the Mexican War in Cali- 
fornia. Flushed with victory and determined to avenge the death of the one who 
fell at Chino, the Californians returned to Los Angeles, where the war now cen- 
tered. ( Hhcrs hearing of the fight at Chino hurried to the Pueblo ami swelled the 
armed force under Captain Flores. Far outnumbered by the ]\Iexicans, Gillespie 
and his men gathered at the Fort on Fort Hill.* A bloody battle with many 
fatalities was imminent. Only a miracle could save Gillespie and his pioneers from 
e.xtermination, but in the struggle many old-time friends must die at each other's 
hands. Among the Californians were the chief men of the Pueblo, the Dons with 
large estates, whose hospitable homes surrounded the Plaza, and the leading 
rancheros from every part of the Valley. Within the adobe fort were their neigh- 
bors and intimate friends, and not a few who were sons-in-law, members of their 
own families. Captain Flores, leading the Californians to the fort, urged Gillespie 
to surrender, and promised his free release "with all the honors of war." These 
generous terms were happily accepted. Prisoners were exchanged and the soldiers 
under Gillespie, with some of the American settlers, left for San Pedro, where 
they were taken on board an American ship lying in the harbor. The subsequent 
events of the war need not here be narrated. The reader who is not familiar with 
the story will find it elsewhere, especially in McGroarty's graphic narrative. But the 
full details do not belong to a local history. After the surrender of the Americans 
and the departure of the soldiers from the town, many of the ranchers and business 
men returned to their homes, and a number also of the American pioneers. Some 
of the latter were held as prisoners, others were released on parole. lUit they 
followed with keenest interest, and doubtless also with much chafing at their fate 
which held them at home, the movements of the following months, — the attempt 
of the Americans to regain Los Angeles after the arrival of some of Stockton's 
men under Mervine, when the combined forces of Gillespie and Mervine, num- 
bering over three hundred, were defeated and driven to the ships ; the arrival of 
Stockton at San Pedro and his departure with all his men to San Diego; occasional 
skirmishes like that of Natividad near Salinas, between Captain Burroughs and 
Manuel Castro, a brother of the General Jose. 

Early in December, Mexican riders from Warner's Ranch told of the arrival 
there on the second, of Stephen \\'. Kearney, now a General in the United States 
Army, with Kit Carson and a hundred men. For several days all watched for 
news from Warner's Ranch, wondering whether he would march south to join 
Stockton and Gillespie at San Diego, or north and west to join Fremont, who was 
said to be on his way south from Monterey and Santa Barbara. In the latter case 
he would come down the road through the Chino and San Jose Ranchos and La 
Puente. 

Warner's Ranch had more than once before this been the scene of action since 
the beginning of the war. Far removed from presidio or pueblo or mission, on 
the very frontier of the Province, it had been, more often than other ranches, the 
object of attack from bands of desperadoes, both Indian and Mexican, who took 
advantage of the war to pillage and plunder. It was on account of his courage and 



this fort whicli gave the name to Fort Street, later changed to Broadway. 



HISTORY AND lUoGRArilV 67 

comniaiul during many such encounters tliat tlie owner, Jonatlian 'I'runilnill 
Warner, was known as Colonel, tlunigh cununcinly called Juan Jose or Juan Largo 
(Long John), on account of his great height. (Jnce he barely esca[)ed with his 
life from an attack by Antonio Garra and his bandits. On another occasion he 
was wounded while fighting off a company sent out under Ivspinosa to search the 
hacienda. "A man's house was his castle" in those days. In 1837, while living 
in Los Angeles, he had married an adopted daughter of Pio Pico, and knew and 
practiced the free hospitality of those days. P.ut the report soon came from 
Warner's Ranch that Kearney had moved south ; and then came the news of the 
battle of San Pas(|ual on December 6tii, "the bloodiest battle," it is said, "that ever 
took place on California soil," when Kearney and his men, weary and footsore 
from their long march from New Mexico, attacked a band of rillemen under 
Andres Pico, fresh and well inounted and looking for a battle with Gillespie. 
Although Kearney and Kit Carson and Gilles|)ie had all esca])ed without serious 
wounds, and although Pico's forces had at last withdrawn, yet the great general 
and his notcil leaders had been worsted. Three of their officers had been wounded 
in the fierce haiul-to-hand conflict, while the Californians had suffered little, and 
were greatly elated by their victory. 

This, however, was their last occasion of rejoicing. With the opening of the 
new year, 1847, came stories of the stiffening of the American forces at San Diego, 
of tlieir march northward toward Los .Angeles, of Fremont's southward march 
toward the same goal, and then of tlie battle on the banks of the San Gabriel 
River, when with a united force of some five hundred men Fiores and Pico for 
two days lield back the troops of Kearney and Stockton, but at last surrendered 
and allowed the .Americans to enter the town without further resistance. The 
end came soon. Two days later Fremont arrived at San Fernando, and the Cali- 
fornians realizing that continued opposition was useless, and jjreferring to treat 
with him rather than with Stockton or Kearney, .sent a delegation to arrange for 
terms of peace. Here at the San Fernando Mission he promised them favorable 
terms, and the next day, January 13, 1847, after Colonel Fremont had marched 
south through the Caliuenga pass, a treaty of peace written in the two languages, 
Spanish and English, was drawn up and signed. This document, so imijortant in 
the history of California, was signed not by the principals in the struggle, those 
who had been the chief officers in the war, but by .\ndrcs Pico as Commandante of 
the California forces and by Colonel John C. Fremont, commander of the .American 
forces on the ground. And so ended, practically, the insurrection and California's 
part in the Mexican War. although the war itself was not formally concluded 
until a year later, when, by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, F'ebruary 2. 1848, 
Mexico ceded New Mexico and California to the L'nited States. 

After the capitulation of January had brought to a close the strenuous months 
of 1846, life on the ranchos of the X'allcy resumed its normal course, and for 
several years there was no great change in their condition or surroundings. The 
laws and the taxes remained practically the same, — that is, tlie lack of laws and 
the excess of taxes, — for Congress had failed month after inonth to take any 
action providing for suitaijlc government f<>r the new coimtry, which so far was 
neither ])rovince, state nor territory. P.ut the closing months of 1849 brought each 
its important event in the history of tlie State, and so in tlie history of every 
section of it. Doubtless men from this \'alley, Palomares, Workman and Colonel 
Williams perhaps, were present at the historic convention held at Mnnterey on the 
third of September, when the State Constitution was framed and the boun- 



68 HISTORY AXD BIOGUAI'HY 

daries of tlie State determined. October loth witnessed its signature. On 
November 13th a general election was lield and Mexicans and Americans 
ahkc from this \'alley shared with others throughout the State in the vote which 
ratified the Constitution, elected a Governor (Peter H. Burnett), a lieutenant 
Governor (John McDougall), two members of Congress, and a legislative body. 
Finally, in December there was held in San Jose the first session of the new State 
legislature, and John C. Fremont and William Gwinn, senators-elect from the 
young, self-constituted State, set out for Washington. Xot until the following 
year, however, on September 9, 1850, as everyone should know, was California 
finally admitted to the Union. 

THE GOLD FEVER 

More exciting even than the days of 1846 and the events attending the seizure 
of California for the Union, were "the days of '49," in the northern part of the 
State, when the cry of "Gold" turned the eyes of the world toward the Hesperides, 
and set the feet of many thousands on the road that led over the Rockies or through 
the Golden Gate to the wildest, strangest scenes the world has ever known. One 
writer says that by February, 1849. ninety vessels had sailed from Eastern ports 
with eight thousand men bound for the new "El Dorado." It was a far call in 
those days from the \'alley of San Jose to Sutter's Mill on the American River, 
yet even as a great earthquake, rocking the earth at San Francisco and crumbling 
its finest monuments in dust, is felt to the remotest bounds of the State, tumbling 
over chimneys here and at San Jacinto and emptying house-dwellers into the 
streets, so the tremendous upheaval which was created when James \\'. Marshall 
picked up those flakes of gold in the tail-race of his mill at Coloma, was quickly 
felt, though with lesser force, in the mountains anil valleys of the South. At times 
there was much excitement. Young men and old, by boat, or riding, or on foot, 
set out for the mines with a shovel and pan and a kettle on their backs. Some even 
searched the canyons and mountains of the Sierra Madre in prospect of gold 
nearer home. But the South was far less moved by the fever of those days than 
the country around the Bay, and the native ^Mexican was slower to rush from 
home than the more recent adventurers of American and foreign blood. Indirectly, 
however, the throbbing, adventuresome life of the North was to be reflected in 
the South during the coming decades, in a new life of greater activity, as the rest- 
less, motley human stream flowing toward the gold fields of California was later 
diverted or turned back, some of it to the south, leaving in every vallc}' its deposit, 
both good and bad. 



CHAPIKR THRKE 

THE QUARTER CENTURY FOLLOWING THE CESSION 
OF CALirORXI A TO THE UNITED STATES 

Willow Grovk, Lkxi.ngtox and Moxte — Early Settlkrs and Lh-k at El 
MoxTt* — Beci.wings of Si'.u)Ra — ScnLUSixcER and Tisciiler FoRECLOSI-'RE 
— Louis Phillips axd His Raxcii — The Rubottoms at Si-adra — The 
Fryers and Other Settlers — The Overlaxd Stage — Butteri'ield axd 
HoLLiDAY — The Stage at Si'adka — Death he IIilliakd I'. Dorsey — ()tmi:r 
Tragedies — Kewex Dorsey. 

Neither the victory of the AiiK-ricaiis in 184(i, llie ccssioi) of Califijniia tip the 
United States by ^^cxico in 1848, nor its admission as a State in the Union in 
1850, brought any raihcal change, at once, to the pco]ile wlin Hved on the ranches 
of Southern California. Momentous as were the clianges wliich tliese events 
iisliered in. yet tliese changes 1)egan slowly, almost imperceptibly. In the Pomona 
region itself there were at first none whatever. Life u])i>n the ranches continued 
as before; the cattle and lierds increased, and the families of the native .Mexicans 
became more and more firmly established on tiieir estates. The whole country 
was still essentially Mexican, and throngiiont Southern California most of tlxise 
wiio had come from the East and established tliemselvcs here were real settlers, 
and in spite of their part in the war were bona fide Californians. Perhajis the first 
indication of the activities of the ])romotcr appeared in the Azusa region, where 
Henry Dalton, in 18.^1, formulated a plan for the subdivision of his laiul into 
smaller tracts to be sold to less ambitious ranchers. With head(iuarters in Los 
Angeles and with various other interests elsewhere, Dalton regarded his holdings 
in this region as material for speculation and was not in any true sense a ranclicr 
or homesteader. lUit it was not for a good many years that purchasers came in 
any considerable numbers to encourage these speculations, .\mong the first to 
buy of Dalton was Fielding W. Gibson, who purchased 2^0 acres in the southern 
part of the rancho and near to what became EI Monte. Hither he drove the 
remnant of a large herd of cattle which he had midertaken to bring froin Sonora, 
Mexico, but of which he had lost nnich the greater ])art by the depredations of 
Indian herders. Here later he rai.sed large quantities of broom corn. 

WILLOW GROVE. Li:.\lN(, TON AM) .M().\ IF 

About tliis time, that is. during the _\ear 18.^1, two events occurred marking 
the beginnings of two movements which were to influence more or less directiv 
the future of the San Jose \'alley, although considerably removed from each 
other and from the center of the valley. 

In this year a party of Latter Day Saints from Salt Lake City came to San 
Bernardino and established themselves there. Others followed, and so a small 
stream of [)ioneers beg.m to flow into the San l'erii.ir<lino \';illi\- from Salt Uikc 



70 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

and from (he Eastern States by way of Salt Lake. But not all of the immigrants 
from Salt Lake City were Latter Day Saints. Some even came by the southern 
trail to San Bernardino, and so to San Gabriel and Los Angeles, to escape the 
persecutions of the Mormons in Utah. The Mormon Church under Brigham 
Young had only come to Salt Lake in 1847, but its hierarchy was already firmly 
entrenched and they had assumed absolute authority over all the lands of the 
state, which they called the State of Deseret. Travelers to California in caravans 
by way of Salt Lake were compelled to pay heavy tribute to the church authorities. 
To the terrible sufferings of the long journey across the plains in "prairie schoon- 
ers" were added here the theft of liorses and cows and sometimes the murder of 
men by Indians incited by the Mormons. The green fields and mild climate of 
the San Bernardino Valley must have been very welcome after the long weeks 
of painful trekking over the cold, dry uplands of the Rockies, and a good many were 
content to make their homes and open up farms here at San Bernardino. Land 
was purchased from Diego Sepulveda and from the Lugos — Jose del Carmen, 
Jose Maria and Vicente. 

In 1853 the great county of San Bernardino was cut oft' from Los Angeles 
County. In the di\'ision of the state into counties, which was eft'ected by the first 
legislature in 1830, the whole of Southern California was comprised in the two 
counties of San Diego and Los Angeles, the latter containing all of what became 
later San Bernardino, Orange and Riverside counties, as well as a part of Kern 
County. The line of division between Los Angeles County and the new San 
Bernardino County, according to an Act of Legislature of April 26, 1853, ran as 
follows : 

"Beginning at a point where a due south line drawn from the highest peak of 
the Sierra de Santiago intersects the northern boundary of San Diego County ; 
thence running along the summit of said Sierra io the Santa Ana River, between 
the ranch of Sierra and the residence of Bernardo Yorba ; thence across the Santa 
Ana River along the summit of the range of hills that lie between the Coyotes and 
Chino (leaving the ranches of Ontiveras and Ybarra to the we>t of this line) to 
the southeast corner of the ranch of San Jose ; thence along the eastern boundaries 
of said ranch and of San Antonio, and the western and northern boundaries of 
Cucamonga ranch to the ravine of Cucamonga ; thence u]) said ravine to its source 
in the Coast Range ; thence due north to the northern boundary of Los Angeles 
County," etc. The consequences of this act on the future of the \'alley were far 
reaching. By it the waters flowing from San Antonio Canyon and its great water 
basin were divided. By it also the streams of development and progress were 
divided. The natural relations and interests which had held the ranchos of San 
Jose and Chino tud San Antonio together were now artificially broken, and the 
rather vague, unfenced line between the neighborly estates of Chino, San Antonio 
and Cucamonga on the one hand and San Jose on the other, became a very real 
partition. As the waters of San Antonio, which, draining a large watershe<l of 
mountain forest far east of this line, flowed nalurally all westward towanl the 
ocean, were now divided between the ranches of two counties, so henceforth the 
people and lands of the \'alley on one side of this line were to be tributary to the 
county seat at San Bernardino on the cast, antl those on the other to the county 
seat at Los Angeles on the west. Thus gradually the communities of North 
Ontario (now Upland), Ontario and Chino. normally friendly to those of Pomona 
and Claremont, and maintaining man}- cordial relations in spite of divisive condi- 
tions, have inevitably become, to some extent, strangers to each other. 



HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 71 

Retitniiii},' in the San Bernardino settlement, we find an increasing nimiber of 
immigrants from "the States" streaming into the \'aliey tlironghout tlie fifties. 
Many of tiiese were an overflow from the Mormon city at Salt Lake, and for 
many years San licrnardino was chictly a Mormon village. Others who came in 
by the same route were hostile to the Mormons, and these usually moved on to 
San Gabriel and El Monte and Los .Angeles. This hdstility naturally became more 
intense during the open conflict between the Mornmn power and the h'eilcral 
Government, from 1857 to 185'). Some of these immigrants hail just escaped the 
Mountain Meadow massacre of September. 1857, which is now known to have 
been instigated by leaders among the Latter Day Saints. 

Among those who came across the plains in 1854 and entered San (labriel by 
way of San Bernardino was the party of Cyrus lUirdick. a i)ionecr of I'dniona, tn 
whom fuller reference is made later. 

Attention has been called to two rather distinct movements which lodk place 
in the early fifties, one to San Bernardino and the other to Kl Monte. I'rom those 
two currents of migration, unrelated and apart, the San Jose X'alley was to receive 
its quota of early settlers, as we shall notice later. .\ considerable number of these 
settlers were to come from El Monte to Spadra. and wc may now turn to this old 
town of Monte. One of the notable events of the year 1851 was the arrival at 
"Willow Grove," not far from the San Gabriel River, of a coni])any of settlers 
from "the States." .Attracted here by the opportunities which the fertile soil and 
the rare climate presented for farming, they purchased land or took u]) claims and 
established homes, thus planting what was calleil by Xewmark "the oldest .\iiieri- 
can settlement in the county"; for it was the first village settled entirely (ir chiclly 
by Eastern colonists. These people came from various states. There were the 
Macys, Obed and his son O.scar, from Indiana, the father a physician, who later 
owned for a time the Bella L'nion in Los .\ngeles. There were Samuel 1 leath and 
David Lewis of New York, also a number of families from Te.xas. .Xotable among 
this first group was Ira W. Thomi)son, a X'ermonl Yankee, who soon became a 
leader in the settlement. 

In the following year the small colony was increased by a good many more 
families, especially from Texas and .\rkansas. .Among these are a number of well- 
known names, such as .A. J. King and his father, Samuel ; William and F.zekicl 
Rubottom, Jonathan Tibbets, and Thomas .\. Garey. the horticulturist. < )n account 
of the dense growth of willows which extended for some miles east of the river. 
the place was commonly called "Willow Grove" by the .\mericans. I'.y the Mexi- 
cans it was known as "El Monte," the word meaning tliickct. and not mountain, as 
many erroneously suppose. .Almost from the first the settlement was grouped 
about two centers, one called "Willow Grove" and the other "Lexington." I'.ut 
when finally a post office was secured the whole ])lace was called ofiicially Moiilc. 
Thus, although the town was unique in its large ])roi)ortion of .American settlers, 
yet in its name it has helped to perpetuate the S])anish traditions of the country, 
and its later population has been sufficiently Si)anish to justify its designation. 
Tlie first postmaster of Monte was Ira W. Thompson, already mentioned, a fine 
type of pioneer, who had moved westward with the advancing frontier of the 
country from Massachusetts to Indiana, from Indiana to Wisconsin and Iowa, an<l 
finally to California. Born in X'crmont in 1800, he was now. in the 18.^(Ts, in the 
prime of life. .As postmaster and keeper of the first tavern he became well known 
throughout the Valley. .At Willow Grove, the eastern nucleus of the town, the 



HISTORY A\D niOGRAPHV 

jx-ist ortico and Thoiup<ons "W illow C.rove Hotel" were naturally the center of 
gravity. For a time this tavern was the only stopping place between San 
C.ahriol and San I'cDuirdino. and when later the overland stage followed the course 
of the old Caiuino Real through Kl Monte, the W illow C.rove Hotel l>ecame an 
innx>rtant station of the route. Xot only as a public otticial and servant, but abo 
as a fanner and as the head of a g\xid family, Ira \\". Thompson was a valuable 
mati in the region. His oldest daughter, Susan, who was a woman of luuisual 
culture and ability, married Davivl Lewis, one of the ixiny of first settlers ai 
\\ illow Grove, and their home, in turn, was a center of g»x>d intluence in the 
progress of the place, their children Iving well known in the town and state. 
.\mong them are Ira D. Lewis, and Abbie. who is Mrs. .MIkh Rowland of ruenle. 

In the strenuous days of the pioneer in California, life was full of action ; 
luuuor and ixuhos were strangely blended, and romance and tragedy followed each 
other in quick succession. In the first group of settlers who came to Willow Gnne 
in the sununer of 18,^1 was ati attractive young woman, who had lo-<i her hnsKand 
early on the journey across the jMains. The long weeks dragged by as the slow 
ox carts rolled their wearv way overland, A new day dawneil as the new world 
of Southern California oj^ened to the tircxl travelers. Kew women had cvMtie to 
California with the ■4'Vrs. or since. IVfore night of the tirst day Charlotte Gray 
had refused four projxisijls of marriage. The next day she rixlo over to the 
Rowland ranch at Pnente. where she was told she could buy fresh fruit and vege- 
tables. There .<he met John Rv>wland. one of the original grantees of the ruente 
Raiicho. who since the death of his tirst wife had Ivcn living alone with his chil- 
dreit on the old adolx" homestead. He. ttxi. was captivate^l by the charming young 
widow, and before tiight had ridvlen over to Willow Grove and secureil her cottsent 
to wed. Two weeks later they were married, and the fine tWv>-story brick house 
was begwi which was to 1k" their home, and in which were Kirn the two children 
of this second marriage, .\ll>ert and X'ictoria. 

Alxnu a mile west of Willow Grove, and nearer the river, a new townsite was 
laid out in 1S,^J by Samuel King and others who came with him in 1S51, or who 
followcii in 185 J. This new town was called by its promoters "I,exiugtou," and 
Kx\uue the second center in the Monte, as alxwe mentioned. Here many of the 
families who had journeycil tt">g-ether from Texas and .Xrkaitsas purchasetl lots and 
made their homes, and it s^xmi Ivcame the larger of the two villages. Besides the 
gxMieral fanning in which most of its jvople were engageil, vine\"ards were also 
planted, and large hop tields, and a few raise\l quantities of briXMU corn. The 
ilevelopment of oil, which is of such imjxirtance i>xlay, did not Ix^gin until much 
later. At Lexitigion, in iJlxx there were two small -Stores and three sakxuis. Gam- 
bling was rife, night and day. C^'ne who live^l here in the »i flies .says he has often 
seen the little tables in these saloons, alx^ut six feet in di,"uueter, "i>adetl with 
stacks of gold slugs a f<.x>t deep, each slug an eight-sided fifty-dollar piece. So 
notorious was the sjxirt that Lexiugiou was more familiarly known as Hells 
Halfacre. or Pokerville, Xor was gambling the only six^rt of the west-onders. if 
we may judge from such accounts as this by Xewmark: 

".\nother importatii function thai engagxxi these worthy jxxijile was their jwrt 
in the lyuchings which were noces.s;iry in Los .\ngtles. .\s soon as they received 
the cue, the Monte lx\vs gallojxxl into town : and Iwing by lemix^rameiu atid train- 
ing, through frontier life, use^l to dealing with the rouglier side of hvnxian nature, 
they were rcx~ogniz<.xl discii^linarians. The fact is that such was ihe ixjculiar public 



IIISTOKV AMJ i;ii n.lvAIilV 7^ 

spirit .-iniinatiii^ tlicsr early vctllrr^ that in. niic cmld live an<l |ir<.-|icr al tlu; 
Miilitc wlic) was luit cxlrcmclv virile ainl rea<ly fur any ilarei|i.\ il emer^;eii(\ . ' 

When the haml nf (lespera<l'ie- iiiuler I'aiich'i Uaiiiel aii'l Jnaii l-i'irc^ i<-rri'r 
ize<l the conntry in 1X3/ ami killcl SherilT I'.arlnii and his <U|)nties in Santiajji. 
Canyiin. the !•"! Mnnte hciys timk an active part nn the \ i;^ilance Cnniinitli r uliirh 
runn(le(l up the villains, iynchinn some and lirin;;in^; nther'- to more I'urniai trial. 

Inrtnnately, however, there were older heads in l-^l MoMle. who were not so 
nnpetiinns. Ainon^ these was Uichard C. I'Vyer. who eaine niTo^^ the jilains wiih 
the partv from Arkansas in 1S3J. and who eii^a;jed not only in fjirniin^; hul in 
[)reaehin|,'. < )ri|ained in 1X54, the tlrsl I'.aptisi niini-ter in Sonlliern California, he 
served as a missionary in that chnreh, preaehin;^ for tifleen year^ in the conunnn 
itics of Southern California, until h<- moveil with his family to Spadra in lS(i7 
He also served as a ineniher of the comity hoard of >npervi-ors, ;iiid in \H7U wa- 
ill I I'd to the State .Xssenihly. 

\notlier of the old-limer> of the re>;ioii of l-'I Moiiie who cro^secl lire plain- 
froin Arkansas in 1K52, jirohahly in the same ]»arty with the I'Vyer--, was John 
'I'luirman, cominj,' first to San C.aliriel and then, in IH?.?. to j-'.l Monte. Here he 
hou^lit land, at first near the Temiile ranch to the south, later liclween Savannah 
and I'.l Monte, west of the ravine, and liiially at W illow C.rove. where lie lived till 
his death in IK"(i. 'I'liroiij,'!! lii^ children, especially the three ^ons. K. Monroe. 
Stephen and .Mexander. the name of 'riiurman is well known in the \ alley. A- 
iii so maiiv other cases aiiKnit; those who cro-sed llie plain- in iIiom- days, the 
family .suffered |.;reat hardship on the way. and the mother was huried in .\riz"iiia. 
With the fcjrtitude and courage ilevelojied hy such trials, ihc sons contrihuted much 
to the ii|)hiiildinK of the communities in which they lived. .Mexander remained 
upon the old Willow (irove projierty owned hy his father: Sleiihen I), retained an 
alfalfa ranch ami house on the land south of l-"l Monte : and K. Monroe, after IKS", 
moved 1(1 I'omona. where he has heen an intlueiitial citizen. In 1S')S R. .Monroe 
married Dora I'.elle ru(|ua, daujjiiter of another old family who came to Kl Monte 
in 18.54 from \'ir>,'iiiia. Cons])icuous amonp tlie early settlers of \i\ .Monte wa> 
Thomas .Andrew Ciarey, who hecanie a lea liii^; horticnlturisl. and was later one 
of the incorporators of the town of I'omona. 

In the .Arkansas party, with the Knlioitoms, 'riiurman- and Kinjis. who 
reached California in 1S52, was the family of W. T. Martin, now one of I'nmona'- 
oldest citizens. Thou^^h now (in I'M'M seveiity-tive year- of af^e. Mr. Martin 
rememhers vivi<lly many incidents and circumstances of the nine months' journey 
in ox teams by way of I*"l Taso and Tucson, .\lo-t vivid of all is the memory (jf the 
halt at Warner's Ranch, where the family was ohlij^ed to rest because of the grave 
illness of Ixptli father and sister; while others of the jiarty i)ressed on to Ml .Monte. 
Here at Warner's Ranch the father soon recovered, hut the sister succmnhed. a 
victim of tile terrible lianl.ships of the journey, in lX.s3 ihe family move<l on to 
h',1 .Monte and the father. Win. C. .Martin, soon became prominent in the afTairs 
of the town. Horn in 'i'cxas in 1<S_'4, when Texas was still .Mexican territory, he 
was schooled in adversity, llis father was killed by Indians when William was 
only a hoy of ten. December 31. 1X4.?, at La .Mar. Texas, he married Rebecca C. 
Miller, the d;mj;hler of an .Mabama cotton planter, and the helpmeet who braved 
with him all the hardships of a pioneer life and then survived his death to live with 
her son, William T. .Martin, in I'omona, until her own death at the ripe age of 
cightv-two. In El .Monte Mr. William C. Martin, the father, fiimiliarly called 



74 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

"Uncle Billy" Martin, conducted for years the Lexington Hotel, — like the Willow 
Grove Hotel, a popular tavern on the old stage road. Both IMr. and Mrs. Alartin 
were in the South consistent members of the Methodist Church South, and were 
active in the organizing of school and church in the new settlement. Like others 
in the colony who, in 1853 and 1854, "took up" what they supposed to be govern- 
ment land and laid out ranches with many acres of trees and vineyards, they were 
driven from their possessions in 1864, when by a new survey it was discovered 
that much of these ranches south of El Monte was a part of the Puente Rancho, 
a portion of which was now owned by the Temples. As Mr. Martin says, "The 
first survey of the rancho did not include the Monte at all, but the second survey 
flopped over and took about the whole of it." 

It wouUl be most interesting if one could look into the public .school of Monte 
during the fifties; for there one should find gathered together as children those 
who were to play, nearly all of them, an active part in the beginnings of most of 
the towns and cities soon to spring up in Southern California. There was "Toots" 
Martin, there were Ira W. Thompsdii's children and those of Samuel Thompson 
(Nannie became later the wife of \\'illiam T. Martin) : and there were the Kings, 
of whom we shall learn more later, and the Ruhottoms, the Dorsevs and the 
Fryers. Later on "Toots" Martin himself was a teacher in the old ]\rission district 
farther east. 

There was only one church building in ]\Ionte as late as 1860, and this was 
occupied by three or four denominations, each in turn providing a preacher, on 
succeeding Sundays. Among them were the Methodist South and the Baptist. 
Here and in the camp meetings at W'illow Grove there was usually good feeling 
and harmony between these various denominations, and "they got on fine," as one 
old-timer has narrated. The Willow Grove by Thompson's Inn was also the scene 
of a number of big political mass meetings, at which the people of the outlviiig 
districts came together to discuss county or state affairs. Newmark tells of one 
of these mass meetings in August, 1859, at which a great barbecue was served 
and "benches were provided for the lailies, promi)ting the editors nf the Star to 
observe with characteristic gallantry, that the seats were fully occupied by .-m array 
of beauty such as no other portion of the state ever witnessed." 

The Los Angeles Star, or La EstreUa de Los Angeles, which ai)])eared first 
in 1851, was for years the only paper in Los .Yngeles, and by the same token, in 
the county. Its editor was Ben C. Truman, and it was published weekly, half in 
Spanish and half in English, and its circuhition and influence were not confined to 
the pueblo ;d<ine, but the sheet carried to the nutlying settlements at San Gabriel, 
El Monte and San Bernardino, and to the haciendas on the ranches, the gossip of 
the Plaza and the news brought from the states by the latest arrivals around the 
Horn or overland. Daily world news was, of course, miimagined, ami that from 
Los Angeles was often da}s in arriving. An unbridged torrent might fill the 
banks of the San Gabriel, which no rider could cross. At this time there was no 
broad ramification of "wash." hut the river was about fifty feet wide and llowed, 
in season, in a regular channel. Not until the floods of the winter of 1861-1862 
did tlie river leave this channel and broaden its rocky bed, and the heavier floods 
of 1867-1868 still further widened this wash. The bridging of the river at El 
Monte was a pid>lic work luidcrtaken by the county years later, when W. T. Martin 
was supervisor, a work in which he took great satisfaction, after the many years 



HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 7S 

in wliicli as boy and yoiitli he had forde<l the stream or watched the advance ri<lers 
try place after place to find a spot for the stage to cross and escape the cjuicksands. 
Some have wondered why the town of Piiente (meaning bridge ) shoulil have 
no conspicuous bridge, wiiile the town of Monte (whose name is so much like 
mountain) should have not even a hill, but should Ije marked by a lung briilge 
across the river. But as we have pointed out, Monte means thicket and imt mnmi- 
tain, and before ever a bridge was tliought of across the San (.abriel there was a 
bridge well remembered by all old-timers across the Puente Creek, a liridge matle 
of large poles laid across the stream, with a floor of smaller pules and brush 
atliwart them. It was this wliich gave to Puente its name. Over this bridge 
"Toots" Martin and other children, set on horseback with hags of corn or wheat, 
would ride from Monte to Rowland's mill at Puente, an<l then home again with 
the flour which the mill had ground for them. 

BEGINNINGS OF SPADRA 

During the fifties and. of course, before that time, there were no merchandise 
stores outside of Los .\ngeles, except one or two small country stores at Kl Monte 
and one at the Mission. Ranchers were oljliged to ride or drive to Los .\ngeles 
for every needed thing that could not be made or jiroduced on the ranch, .\hvays 
in the Plaza were to be found the fine mounts of the va(|ueros and caballeros wlio 
had come to town to trade. These men were to be found talking or having a 
social glass at the saloons or at the Bella I'nion, or they might l)e at one of the 
adobe stores which were scattered along the "Calle Principal" (.Main Street). 
Aliso and other streets leading into the Plaza, while their carretas might Ije resting 
by the roadside in front. Some of the earliest shopkeei)ers were I-'rcnch, like 
Ducommuii, ^^ascarel and Ramon .Alexandre, but more were of German descent. 
There were Xewmark and Kremer, Schumacher, Ferncr and Kraushoar, Kaisher 
and \\ artenberg. Bachinan and Bauman, Ilellman. Mc_\er and Loewensteiii, and 
Baruch-Marks. .Ml were shrewd, keen men of ijusiness, and some whose sagacitv 
was balanced with honest integrity have established great business houses and 
their names are associated witli well-known and highly respected banking firms. 
There were others whose names arc still remembered, but with associations not so 
agreeable. In the firm of P>. ^L^rks & Co., and later engaged in business for them- 
selves, were two merchants. Louis Schlesinger and Heiman Tischler, who arc 
more closely related to this historical narrative than others. Their head(|uarters 
were at Melius Row and they occupied a storeroom later in the ']'em|)le Block, but 
they were engaged chiefly in handling grain, a i)ursuit which took ihem all over the 
\'alley, and they were always alert for bargains in cattle or in land. Many of the 
rich Mexican land owners were their regular customers, and these they encouraged 
to trade on long-lime credit, never urging a settlement, but from time to time 
taking tiieir notes for some hundreds of (lollar>. 

Among the regular patrons of Schlesinger & Tisclder. at Melius Row, were 
Ricardo \'ejar and his friends of the San Jose Rancho. They w-ere always wel- 
come, for they were easy-going men who bought freely and whose large estates 
were ample security for any anioimt. 1 lonest themselves, they were not suspicious 
as to the accounts against them and did not examine or verify items charged. .\s 
time ran on these accounts grew. Nothing was specified as to interest and rates of 
three and four per cent, per month were Iwldly charged and fre(!Uentlv com- 
pounded. Finally the d:i\ i<\ rcikimini; <:mu- .-md .in .icr.iuut of some twenty 



76 HIS'l'l n<\ WD i;i( X'.KAl'llV 

thousand ilollars was |)rc>ciito(l at^ainst llir cild ranclKrc] Don Ricardo W-jar! 
Schk'sinLjcr iv TisclikT dcniainlfd prompt si'ttK-niciii and dhiainrd the sij,niatin'es of 
Si'nnr \ t'jar and h'\> wife to the nu)rl!;a_m's iht-y had prepared. Two mortgages 
there weri'. one a eliattel mortgage covering "all the Imrned cattle, horses, mares, 
colts and sheep helnnging to the mortgagor and hearing his hrand earmark, that 
may he fdund in the eountit's id' 1 ,os Angeles. San Bernardino and San Diego, 
with the respective increase thereof"; and the other mortgaging "all interest and 
right in the San Jose Kancho."' etc.: hoth as secnritv for a promissory note of 
$iy.76,?.()_'. dne in ninety days with intere^t .'it two per cent. |)er month. .\t the 
same lime Schlesinger <.S: Tischler got a lease on the land and cattle for such time as 
the mortgages should remain imforeclosed. 'J'his was in April, 1861. ]'>v Ajjril, 
1864, note and interest amotmted to more th.an $.iO.()00. 'I'hirty thou.sand dollars 
does not seem like an annnnit tn ruin the owner (d' tlmnsands of acres of rich ])as- 
ture land, feeding m;iny hundred lie;id of cattle. I'.ut the years 186v3 and 1864 were 
years of great iinancial stress, esjiecially in Southern California. Though far 
from the active scenes of the Civil War. the general dei)ression of the country 
was keenly tell. Three years of drought — three succeeding seasons almost without 
rain — had wrought terrihie ha\oc in a country whose sole ])r(.)duction ])racticallv 
was of grain and cattle, and at a time before irrigation was known, save at one 
or two points in a very small wa\. Morses and cattle died hy the thousands and 
there was no jiossihility of the sale of land. Xewmark. writing of the financial 
condition at this time, says: "With a total .assessment of something like two 
million dollars in the county, not a cent of taxes (at least in the city) was collected. 
Men were so miserahly poor that confidence nnUnallv weakened, and merchants 
refused to trust those who. as Land and caltk' harons. hut a short time hefore had 
heen so inlhienlial. ... 1 low great was the de])reciation in values mav be 
seen from the fact that notes given by h'rancis Temple, and liearing heavv interest, 
were peddle<l about at lifly cents on the doll.ir, and even then found few pur- 
chasers." 

At such a time as this. $30.01)0 was a gre.ai fortunt-. Though e\er\- eti'cjrt was 
made to delay the issue and to raise enough to tr.nwfer the mortgage, the \ ejars 
were powerless to esca])e. 'J'ime passed i|uicl<l\' ,and the mortgage was foreclosed. 
The final deed was signed by Senor \'ejar .\pril ,iO. 1864. though Doiia Maria, his 
wife, of the tine old Spanish family of Soto, realizing that it was in etfect a deed 
of sale of all their lands, steadfastly refused to sign the papers. l',y this transaction 
the h.alf interest in the .'s.an Jose Rancho belonging to the \ ejar family passed into 
the ])ossession of Schlesingcr & Tischler. According to the partition of 1846, 
this included all of the southern h;df of the rancho — the San Jose de Abajo — the 
old homestead and its adobe raneheria. toi^ether with all the herds of cattle and 
shee]5. It w.as a sad day for the family when, at last, they were compelled to leave 
the old place, a princely estate of more than 10.000 acres of the finest land in the 
world, with streams of water, and trees and buildings, which had heen their home 
now for more than a generation. .\or is it strange tli.at the feeling of resentment 
and hatred was intense, not only .among tlu' innnediate family of the \'ejars. but 
also throughout the whole populace of S])ainsh rancheros .and all their people. 

Neither Schlesinger nor Tischler lived K)ng to enjoy their ill-gotten gains. 
But while they were both cut oft', it may he said, by the hand of an avenging fate, 
there was no restoration to the old Spanish owners of their fair acres. These were 
lost to them forever. Just how these Jewish merchants met their fate is of more 



HISTORY AND I'.IOC.RAI'HV " 

than passing interest, but the fate of one, at least, will ()riiliahly alwav-. be >i>ine- 
\Tliat of a mystery. I»uis Schlesinjjcr was a i)assenf;er cjn the ".\ila Ilancuck." a 
Ijatniing boat, which was sunk by an cxplosinn in San fedro harbor when Uiaded 
with passengers for a San Francisco steamer, ami he was doubtless lo>t in this 
catastrophe. There is a persistent story still told by old-timers, that Tischler was 
killed by a party of Me.xicans while on a trip to San IJernardinn. .Xewmark's 
account of their doings, however, is as follows: 

".'shortly after this transaction" (^that is, after their foreclosure of the \ cjar 
mortgage), "Schlesinger was killed while on his way to San Francisco, in the .\'la 
Hancock e.xplosion ; after which Tischler purchased Schlesingcr's interest in the 
ranch and managed it alone. In January. Tischler invited me to accom(»aii\' him 
on one of the numerous excursions which he made to his newly acquireil posses- 
sion, but, though I was inclined to go, a business engagement interfered and ke])t 
me in town. Pof^r Edward Newman, another friend of Tischler's took my jilace. 
On the way from the ranch to San I'.ernardino the travelers were ambushed by 
some Mexicans, who shot Xewman dead. It was generally assumed that the 
bullets were intended for Tischler, in revenge for his part in the foreclosure; at 
any rate, he would never go to the ranch again, and finally sold it to iJon L<iuis 
Phillips, on credit, for thirty thousand dollars." There is a slight discrepancy in 
this narrative, for the <late of the foreclosure is given as 1864 and the .\da Han- 
cock disaster is mentioned as having occurred "shortly after," whereas the latter 
event happened on .\pril 1~ , 1863. 

There is another .source from which a new light is shed on these event — (he 
nnirder on the road to San IJernardino. the disappearance of Tischler. and the 
transfer of X'ejar's property to Louis Phillips. This source is foimd in the vivid 
story of an old vaquero recently told to the writer in such clear-cut form and 
assurance as to give the impression of authenticity. When the firm of Schlesinger 
& Tischler acquired their large herds of cattle and sheep in the \'alley, they em- 
ployed a number of va<|ueros and borregueros to look after them. The foreman 
of vaqueros, who worked for Tischler from the first, was a young man by the 
name of Jose Antonio Perez. Tischler rode out from Los .Angeles from time to 
time to look after the interests of the firm, but with other business interests in 
Los Angeles and other parts of the \'alley, he could only spend a small ()art of his 
time on the San Jose Ranch. Much responsibility fell upon Perez and he was a 
good manager. Early and late, from one end of the rancho to the other, he nide 
his fine horse, directing the work of the vaqueros. Weighing over 200 pounds, tall 
and handsome, he always rode the largest and best horses on the ranch. "Born 
in the saddle," and riding as only a Mexican can, man and mount made a com- 
manding and striking picture wherever they went. l!ut though Perez was a faithful 
foreman, Tischler felt the need of a partner who should have a personal interest 
in the business and could be on the ground all the time to direct it. Doubtless, also, 
he was conscious of the hostile feeling of the Mexicans toward him, and was 
willing to pass as little time on the ranch as possible. So it came about that Tischler 
went to Louis Phillips, then a young man living on a sinall ranch east rif Los 
Angeles, in what is now Doyle Heights, and proposed that he should come out to 
the San Jose Ranch and take charge. He was to have $100 a month, and in addition 
to this was to receive as his share in the enterprise, half of the bcccros and the 
ganado — i.e., half of the increase in calves and colts and sheep that were born each 
year should be his. Louis Phillips had come to San Francisco from Prussia in 



78 HISTORY AND I'.IOCRAl'I lY 

1850 as a young man of about twenty, and for two or three years kept a store at 
Long Wharf. On the way to California he had trudged across the Isthmus of 
Panama afoot, his pack on his back. In 1853 he had made his way to LoS Angeles. 
Here he had engaged in various occupations. \\ ithout any funds or income at 
first, by the thrift and enterprise which characterize his race, he had succeeded in 
purchasing some land on the San Antonio Rancho east of Los Angeles. But he 
was still a young man of slender means, and readily accepted the oflfer of Tischler. 
It was in this way that Louis Phillips, the first resident in Spadra after the INIexican 
grantees, came to the Valley to live. When Tischler brought Phillips out to the 
ranch he said to Perez, "Phillips is to have charge. Work for him as you have 
worked for me, and I will pay you just the same." Though Tischler was regarded 
as rich and Phillips certainly was not, the latter was always careful to pay his bills, 
while Tischler never did if he could help it, or, as Perez said, he was "poco iiialo 
a pagar." Among the helpers wdio worked for Tischler was a boy wdio had not 
been paid his wages for a long time. At last the boy grew restless, and when 
Tischler came out to the ranch one day he said he "wanted to have a reckoning,"' — • 
a settlement. Tischler meditated. Then and there came into his head an evil 
thought, as Perez said, and he said to the boy: "Very well, come with ine to San 
Bernardino, and I will pay you." Putting a carbine in his wagon, he started of? with 
the boy on the road to San Bernardino. From this moment no one saw them 
again till Tischler drove wildly into San Bernardino with the body of the boy, 
shouting that they had been attacked by brigands, who had killed the boy, and he 
had barely escaped. A posse of armed men rode back with him to the spot on 
the desert where he said the attack was made, and searched the country over. But 
they found no trace of brigands, nor yet any tracks, or signs of any struggle. 
Some were suspicious of Tischler's story from the first, and he was sharply ques- 
tioned ; but he was a rich man and no one dared to accuse him of the crime. More 
and more, however, people became convinced that he had killed the boy himself, 
and their hatred for the Jew became so bitter that he feared to come out to the 
ranch at all. Finally, one day he drove out in a fine new carriage w-ith a splendid 
span of horses. That night he spent with Phillips on the ranch and the next 
morning they rode away together. When Phillips returned the ranch was his 
and Tischler was never seen again. The papers, deeding to Phillips all the Vejar 
interest in the San Jose Rancho and the cattle that Tischler had owned, were made 
out in Los Angeles, April 30, 1864, a year after Schlesinger was killed in the Ada 
Hancock disaster. The amount of the sale, which was nominally about $28,000, 
was largely covered by a note for a sum far less than this, it is said, wdiich Phillips 
later redeemed, as we shall see. 

When Phillips and Tischler rode off to Los Angeles that April morning, 
Tischler told Perez (to return to the foreman) that he .should look to Phillips for 
his pay from that time on. Little did they realize how long that time would be. 
For over fifty years the relation continued, till the time of Mr. Phillips' death. It 
is said (hat Tischler sailed at once for San Francisco, but nothing is know-n of him 
since. If he was not killed by the enraged Mexicans, as was so persistently 
rumored, he doubtless suffered from constant fear of attack, and perhaps from a 
guilty conscience. It was this, doubtless, which drove him from the scene of his 
operations and from the land he had coveted, and had wrested by dubious means 
from its rightful owner. 

In marked contrast with the easy-going, generous methods of the early Cali- 
fornians, mostly Mexicans, was the shrewd, money-making habit which was a native 



HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 79 

trait of tlie new owner. Sole proprietor now of the estate, Phillips began w'ith 
renewed determination to make his fortune. To the flocks and herds which were 
his own by the first agreement with Tischler and by later jjurchase, were now added 
all of Tischler's share. Never running in debt, never wasting, never spending a 
cent when it could be helped, he was always on the watch for bargains in laml and 
cattle, and was ready to pay cash whenever a Mexican wanted to sacrifice a few 
acres or a few head of cows for needed /"/j/a. But, honest in his transactions, and 
paying promptly, he did not incur the ill will of his neighbor Mexicans as Tischler 
had. Any day one might sec him riding over the ranch alone or with Jose Perez, 
notebook in hand, taking inventory of stock, marking what was his and noting 
whatever needed attention. His lierds increased and he added to the normal 
increase thousands of sheep bought from other ranchers. Then he went far, if 
need be, to market to best advantage his hides, wool and horses. Driving a band 
of horses all the way to Salt Lake City, he sold them for enough to take up his 
note and clear his title to the ranch. The center of life on the ranch was the cluster 
of buildings by the stream at the foot of the Spadra hills, where stands the 
"Phillips Mansion," the two-story brick house so long a landmark on the Spadra 
road. Just east of where this house now stands was an old adobe, which was the 
home of Chico Vejar (Francisco), a brother of Ramon and son of Ricardo Vcjar, 
the original grantee. This adobe was built for Chico \'ejar, according to Jose 
Perez, by three men — Juan Chino, another Mexican called Jesus, and "Nigger 
John," the latter one of two colored men. Nigger John and Nigger Ben, who 
were among the first arrivals in Monte, where they lived with their families, rais- 
ing vegetables and working about town. In this adobe Phillips later kept a 
tiendila, or small store, for the benefit especially of the people on the ranch, but 
where passers-by might refresh themselves from his store of wine and beer. In 
the bend of the hills farther east, by the Pedregoso stream, was the "casa vicja de 
Ricardo Vcjar," the old adobe ranch house which he first built for his homestead, 
but abandoned later, when he had built his new house at Walnut, because the 
Indians were so troublesome here. And then there was another small adobe, the 
oldest of all, a little distance farther north. All these buildings have now disap- 
peared, with many others of less stable construction. The San Jose Creek was 
then a good sized stream at the junction of the Pedregoso and San Jose creeks, 
and the pond was a real pond, where the ducks and geese had ample room. The 
home orchard, of which a good many trees remain, was planted and enlarged with 
all kinds of choice fruit trees. 

Mention has already been made of the close relation to this \'alley of the 
colony at El Monte. From this colony came a number of the first families in tiie 
new settlement which grew up in I867-18(^i8 on the Phillips ranch at Spadra. The 
first of these families to move out from El Monte was that of William Rubottotn, 
known by everyone as "Uncle Billy Rubottom," who iiad come, as told before, 
with other families from Arkansas in 1853. Early in the sixties Uncle I'illy had 
moved to the Cucamonga Rancho and built a tavern there on the upper road from 
Los Angeles to San Bernardino, not far from the ranch house of Colonel Rains. 
It was at the suggestion of Louis Phillips that he left here and moved to the San 
Jose Rancho, buying of him one hundred acres of land. Here on the Camino 
Real he built another house and tavern that bore his name. Other families fol- 
lowed, and the place became know n at first as "Rubottom's" because of the Rubot- 
tom House. But when a postofficc was secured it was called officially Spadra, on 
the petition of Uncle Billy and those who had come with him from the town of 



so HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

Spadra Bluffs in Arkansas. This was accomplished through Ben Truman of the 
Los Angeles Star, who was authorizetl to locate the station, and who rested at 
Rubottom's on his tour of inspection. Uncle Billy was appointed the first post- 
master on a salary of two dollars a month ! No place on the road from Los 
Angeles to San Bernardino was better known than Rubottom's, and when the 
stage changed its route, as it soon did, from the Mud Springs road to that by way 
of Spadra, it became at once a busy jjlace. The reputation of this hostelry was 
due no less to the energy and attraction of Uncle Billy's daughter-in-law, whom 
every one called "Aunt Sue," than to the genial hospitality of LTncle Billy himself. 
As Susan Glenn, she was one of two families, the Glenns and the Flinns, who had 
come to El Monte from Texas in 1860. Although a large party with 100 wagons 
had left Lamar County, Texas, mi the overland journey to California, so great 
were the hardships they encountered on the way that only these two families 
arrived at their destination. Some time after their coming to El Monte, Susan 
Glenn had lived for two years with her uncle on the Cucamonga ranch, then 
owned by Mrs. Col. Rains, a daughter of Colonel Williams of the Cliino Rancho. 
H!ere ".Xmit Sue" and Jim Rubottom, L^ncle Billy's son, were married. 

Before the Rubottoms had finished building their hotel, another family, by 
the name of Fryer, also mentioned before among the early settlers at El Monte, 
had moved from there to Spadra. As before stated Mr. R. C. Fryer was a 
Baptist minister who bad come from Arkansas in 1852, with the spirit of the 
pioneer as well as the preacher, "wanting more room,'' as he said. Later, in the 
same spirit, and regarding the new location more healthful than El Monte, he had 
followed the Rubottoms and had bought some 250 acres of land of Phillips, who 
at this time was quite ready to sell small tracts to desirable settlers who would 
help to build up a small village on the ranch near by. The sociability and protec- 
tion of these neighbors from the States were doubtless welcome to Louis Phillips, 
who had been surrounded hitherto only by Mexicans whose language and cus- 
toms he was not familiar with, and by bands of troublesome Indians. Nor was it 
altogether accidental that, the first of these being "a good gun man," resourceful 
and courageous, the second should be a minister of religion. 

The event wdiich first brought R. C. Fryer to the ranch and into close contact 
with Phillips was no less than the wedding of the latter to Esther lilake, which 
Mr. Fryer was called from El Monte to solemnize. Dates are still reckoned from 
the Phillips wedding. It was a memorable occasion, one which jjcople who were 
present still like to talk about. And every one was there from all over the Valley. 
All of the best Mexican families were there, the Palomares and Vejars, the Yorbas 
and the Arenas. And there were the Martins and Thompsons and others from 
El Monte, the Burtlicks from San Dimas, the Rowlands from Puente and many 
from Cbino. The old two-story adobe overflowed with guests and good cheer. 
There was music and dancing and plenty to eat and drink. The w^edding was 
but the prophecy of many other occasions when Mr. Fryer was to serve the people 
as minister here on the ranch; for after he had organized at Spadra the first Bap- 
tist church in the valley, the Phillips pond was often the scene of his baptisms, 
and the cemetery near by of his burials. 

Yet for some time the number of Americans living here was quite small. 
After the Blakes came, Charles Blake, a brother of Mrs. Phillips, opened a store 
across the street. A large load of goods for this store was hauled from Los An- 
geles on the same day the Fryers moved in their household goods from El Monte. 
And there was another store opposite the Rubottom House, owned 1)\- Long and 



lllSn )RV AND I'.loC.KArilV HI 

Swift, wlio later sold out to A. I>. Caldwell. This was long tlie jirincipal sture. 
Charles Ulake's clerk, George I'-gan, in time hecame his partner and then hnughl 
him out. later moving the store to roniona. 

'rili; ()\ KRl.AM) S TACiK 

Even from the beginning of the village of Spadra there \va> mncli travil nver 
the road from Los Angeles and KI Moiile to Chino and San ilernardino. Loads 
of produce of every sort were hauled to the iidand town and exchanged for lumher 
and farm ijrodiicis. Teamsters, hauling machinery and |)nivi>ions to the mines 
in Arizona and L'tah, camped over night hy die jiond. Twenty fonr-mnle teams 
were not uncommon, "swanipers" riding hy the "wheelers," or |)nshing ahead to 
clear the way. lUit husincss increased and more travel came this way after the 
hotel was built. Especiall\' there came the ( )verland Stage. Local stages an<l 
freight wagons there had been, an<l the Mormons had run regular caravans from 
Salt Lake to Los .\ngclcs. \ ehiclcs of many sorts passed over the road, and 
various beasts of burden, but all were imimportant comjiared with the Overland. 
Early settlers at S|)adra recall an attempt to use camels for carrying mail from 
Los Angeles across the mountains and desert to Fort Mojave. Red-fezzeil Turks 
in native costume rode the animals and added their color and (|naintness to the 
strange picture. Chihlren of the West, usually quite fearless, ran trembling to 
hide when they saw and heard these unfamiliar, ungainly creatures, lint the 
e.xperiment was not a success and the beasts were turned loose in the desert, where 
at rare intervals the traveler might encounter one. 

Nothing could rival the Overland Stage. The thrilling story of the gigantic 
enterprise is told at length by other writers. Only the salient ])oints in its history 
need be mentioned here. There were many stages owned and run by individuals 
and covering various stretches of road across the mountains and plains between 
the i'acilic CV>ast and the Eastern States, but the great Overland Stage was known 
as r.ultertield's. after the man who organized the enterprise and later founded 
the \\ ells h"argo E.xpress. I*"rom San Francisco to St. Louis by Los .\ngeles and 
El Paso the distance covered by these stages was about 2.800 miles.* the longest 
stage line ever established and successfully oi)erated. Lummis says of it. '"The 
deadly deserts through which nearly half its route lay, the sand storms, the mirage. 
the hell of thirst, the dangerous Indian tribes, ami its vast length — forty per cent, 
greater than that of any other stage line in our national story — made it a monu- 
mental undertaking." When the line was opened in 185<S. two stages a week were 
run each way. but soon there was a stage every other day. and later si.K stages a 
week each way. Changing horses every fifteen miles, more or less, according to 
the character of the road, and exchanging drivers at division jjoints, with farriers 
and blacksmiths, and harness makers and stable boys all along the way across the 
country, a huge otablishment had to be maintained always at a high point of 
efficiency. .\t its height seven hundred and fifty men were employed, and one thou- 
sand horses and five hundred big Kentucky mules were used. The prairie 
schooners first put on were rei)laced in 18^:0 by one hundred new Concord coaches. 
Itefore the Overland Stage was introduced the travel from the East to California 
had been mostly around Cape Horn or by way of the Isthmus of Darien. The 
miners of "49 and later. ]>rospectors and adventurers, coming singly or in i)airs 
or small groups as "pardners," had reached the coast by steamer. For the overland 



It is %-artou>Iy !>lalr"l as from 2,759 mile* to 2.880 niilcs. 

4 



82 HISTORY AND lUoCRAl'l IV 

trail was beset with great hardship ami ilangcr. Families, with their hcnisehuld 
goods, horses and cattle, still found it cheaper and more practicahle. Init only in 
large caravans, well guarded against attack. By even the best stage routes before 
the liuttertield, a transcontinental trip from New ^'ork■ to Los Angeles required 
at least a month. Ily the Isthmus of Darien it might he done in twenty-two days: 
but the lUutcrtield (Jverlaml brought the record down to twenty-one days or less. 
This reduction in time of transit was of course more important for transmission of 
mail than it was for passengers, .ind the government paid large subsidies for car- 
rying the overland mail — over a million dollars a _\ear during the latter part of the 
time, in this connection one is reminded that an event of such supreme importance 
to California as the passage of the Act admitting it as a State into the Union in 
1850 was not known on the Coast until five weeks later, when the news was 
brought by l)oat to San Francisco.* 

Faster even, much faster of cour.?e, than the Overland Stage was the Pony 
Ivxpress wdiich was maintained for over a year, Ijcginning in April 1860, carrying 
mail from the ^ilissouri River to Sacramento, a distance of over 2,000 miles. 
Averaging over _'00 miles a day on its regular schedule, it set a record. unec|ualled 
before the days of railway and telegraph, when Lincoln's Inaugural Message was 
carried in seven days and seventeen hours! This, however, did not follow the 
Southern Route but crossed the Sierra Xevadas to Salt Lake, and thence to St. 
Josej)!!. During the Civil \\'ar the Overland Stage over the Southern Route, 
extending through so much Confederate territory, was discontinued for a time- 
Hut what was known as the Aliddle Route, from San Francisco to St. Louis by 
Sacramento, I'lacerville, Carson City, Salt Lake and Fort Laramie, was main- 
tained in fine condition. At this time and for aliout five years Ben Holliday was 
"Transportation King." receiving at first $800,000, then $1,000,000, and finally 
$1,230,000 a year from the United States Government for transporting the mail 
between the Missouri River (that is St. Louis, wdiich was then the Western 
terminus of the railways) and San Francisco. A remarkable man. this llolliday 
had been in his youth a courier in the army, then had come to Salt Lake with 
a caravan of goods and had risen in ten \ears to be the head of this great C)verland 
Route. Later he became the owner of sixteen steamers crossing the I'acific 
ocean. After the war Holliday sold out to the Wells Fargo Company antl the 
Southern Route was resumed. Coming down the coast from San Francisco to 
Gilroy and San Jose, thence to \'isalia and Fort Tejon, the distance to Los 
Angeles was about 400 miles. From Los Angeles the route at first was through 
Fl Monte and Mud .Springs to Cucamonga (leaving Spadra to the south), and 
thence to vSan Bernardino. \\ bile the Rubottoms lived at Cucamonga the stage 
changed horses there, but after they moved to Spadra and built the Rubottom house 
there, the mute was changed to pass that way, and thence by the Chino Ranch 
house to San Bernardino, and so on by Warner's Ranch to Fort Vuma, Fl I'aso 
and St. Louis. 

It was a great day for Spadra when this change in its route brought the 
( )verland Stage through the village. Not only did the stages pass this way. but 
the Rubottom House liecame a station where horses were changed and passengers 
stopped for meals. And the chief event of the day was of course the arrival of 
the stage. The cloud of dust in the distance and the thunder of horses' hoofs 
and rattle of wheels, as they approached at a full gallop, gave amjde tidings of their 
coming. Drawn by six or eight handsome horses, the bright painted Concord 



See "How California Came into tht Union." by George Hamilton Fitch in the Century Magazine. 



m.^ToRV AND r.loC.KAl'llV ,Vo 

coacli. "a 5;raml s\viiij,'iin; and swnyin.i^ vcliiclc, an inip(i>iii',' craillc on wlii-cls." 
liung on llidroiigh-hraci's Ijctwecn the springs, swung intn view lii<e a diariot. ( )n 
tlic high box sat tlio driver with his lung whip, and heside iiini the guard nr c^n- 
<hictor, a gnu across his Icnees and a hraee <if revolvers hanging Irnni hi- heit. 
Sometimes the road and tielils were t'ldl i>i wagniis and teams from Thiilip--' to 
the station ami far down the road, hut a way was always made for the stage. The 
panting, foaming horses were unhitched from the coach and fresh ones, harnessed 
anil waiting, were (juickly ])nt in tlieir place-. h"ortiniate indeed were those for 
whom ihe stage hrouglit mail or those who were near enough to the driver to 
catch his anecdotes of adventure on the mail. More limes than a few they told 
of attacks hy Iiulians or lioldu])s hy highwaymen, and .shots tire 1 in defense as 
tlie coach dashed hy. or of traces (piickly cut, a wounded horse dragged out and 
harriers removed, while men with rilles intrenched behind the coach held off the 
amhushing party. Sometimes after a winter rain when the river was swollen 
with tloods. the stage from Los .\ngeles could not get ihrougii. .\o bridges had 
yet been built, and before it was safe to cross, bands of horses were driven across 
the (|uicksand to jiack and settle il. 

( )ne of the stage coach driver^ of this time was S. I., (lilberi. who came to 
California in 185S from Iowa. an<l who still resides in I'oniona. youthful and 
keen of mind, though over eighty years of age. He tells til the excitement and 
fascination of the life of a driver, which he followed naturally, as his father had 
done before him. Driving most of tlie time on the dead gallop, they encomitered 
many clangers. The cliief danger from Indians was Ijeyond \'nma. There the 
Indians would lie in wait, covering themselves up in the sand with their heads 
just slicking out. "Vou couldn't tell the head of an Indian from a crow, and 
when the stage passed by they would suddenly raise a ritle and let go. Many ;i 
driver lost his life in the tight with those redskins. We ilrove six California 
horses, and there was never a horse that was well trained. They used to round 
up a bunch out in the tield and herd them into Los .\ngeles. In a corral they 
would lasso a horse to the snubbing-jiost. reach down over the fence an<l \nn the 
harness onto him. then half-a-<lozen men would hitch him up to the stage. The 
corral was where the Pacific IClectric station is in Los .\ngeles today. I remember 
one lime we hitched u]) six green ponies to a stage, ancl about fourteen fellows 
j)iled in. The driver lashed those horses all the way to Dominguez I'ield. There 
was no obstruction in the way. and we went on a ilead run. .\t a ranch near 
Doniinguez Field we had a liarbecne. and .-dong toward night started back. The 
horses were so near dead that we came back at a reasonable i)ace. That was 
about all the breaking those California horses got. I have seen a siage-driver 
start out with a bunch of green horses. an<l one horse jump on to]) of the backs 
of others. Then there would be some pile-up! I'.ut it was all in the day's work."* 

The liutlerfield Stage was finally aI>andone<l sometime in IS' X or IS')'', but 
other com|>anie- coTitiuued to run stages over the same roiUe : in fact il was so 
much competition that brought the I'.iUterlield euler])rise to a close. ( )ther lines 
were running stages from Tucson to El I'aso and from Kl I'aso to St. Louis. 
Phineas P.anning. the leading transpiirtation agent in the Southwest, whose stages 
and freight wagons were running not only to meet his steamers at San Pe Iro. but 
even to San Francisco, operatefl also a stage line from Los .\ngeles to \'uma. 
Thus until the coming of the railway in 1S74. Si)adra was not without its through 



From an iii " "'Th Mr. Gilticrt by I.owcll Pratt, for tlic Pomon.! Progress. 



.S4 1IIS'IX)K\ AXl) i;i( )C,k.\IMl\' 

slaj^f, and alter thai Idr a tiiiR- it \va> the terminus wiiere tile stages from the 
East met tlie iail\\a\ I'rnm I. us Angeles. 

As a iKjtahle point along the road of the Overland Stage, it was natural that 
the knhiittom 1 louse should he the eentral spot in the life not onI\- of the village 
ol Spadra, hut of all tlu' surrounding eouiitry. llither eame not onlv the vil- 
lagers hul the ranehers and their ehildren and servants, on all sorts of errands and 
at all times. A holiday party on May day or Christiiia.s hrought whole families 
Irom tar and near. I'Aer) one knew every one else. EspecialU e\er\ one knew 
the Ruhottoms. liiele Kill) had a son and twn ilaughters. Jim. tin- son, had 
ni.arried ."susan Cdi'ini, as we ha\'e narrated, while they li\-e<l in Cneanionga, and 
she was a universal favoriti', attraetive in appearance and kiiulK to .all. 

.\ml there were tragedies, too, that were known to all, as in a great faniilv. 
( )i these .\unt Sue had her sh.are. in the death of lu-r lirsi hu'-hand, |im Kuhot- 
tom, and lat<.r of hc-r tw i-Ki-year < ild hoy I'.illy. who was killed in ti\ing to step 
Iroiii one ear to another. .\nd then her daughter Ina was hurt and permanently 
.ri|)])led. J.ater she has li\ed a \ery husy hut less trouhled life as the wife of 
Senator Currier, a'- will he seen. The greatest tragedy of all canu' to this famih' 
while Ii\ing at l'".l .Monte, hefore they came to Spadra. 'J"he }omiger daughter. 
Civility Rnl.)ottoin, had married a Southern officer by the name of Hijliard P. 
Dorsey, who had won distinction during the Ale.xican war, and, coming to Cali- 
loriii,-i ill '4'*, had ni.ide many friends in the new West. He was a leader in 
Masonic circles, lia\iiig organized the hrst lodge in Los Angeles, and having served 
as its first Master. W hen the first land office was o|)eiied in Los Angeles in LS50, 
Captain Dorsey w;is appointed Keceiver and served in this office till his death. 
W ith many sterling iiualities, frankness, sincerity and winsomeness and energ\-, 
he was entirely succt'sslnl in Inisiness. hoth pulilic and prixate. and he accjuired 
two large ranches, one ahove San Ciahriel ;ind the other south of J^os Angeles. 
I'lUt in the home life there were troubles. The young couple had built their home 
on the San Ciahriel Ranch near the llenito Wilson Lake, and had been very happy 
there. I'.nt in time dilferences arose between them wdiich grew to o]jen quarrels, 
and finall) the _\oung wife, taking their little boy, then only five months old, fled 
one night to a neighbor's house. ( )n a ranch near b\ was the home of William 
Stockton. 1 lere they found shelter till morning, when she was taken to the Rubot- 
tom home at LI .Monte. L'ncle l'>ill\ Ruboitoni. not onl\ welcome! his daughter 
home again, but warned Dorsey that he must leave her alone. .Xothing daunted, 
the Captain trit-d to persuade his wife to return, and then somehow got possession 
ot tin- child and took it b;ick to tlu'ir home on the San C.abriel ranch. Hut this 
did not bring them together. The young mother could not let the child go, nor 
would she return to the Cajatain. So, watching her chance, she went to the ranch 
slipped into the house .when he was gone, and captured the bab_\- again, running 
again to the Stocktons' f(^r refuge. Not daring to shelter them h.m.g for fear of 
the Captain's wrath, v^tockton hitched up a team early the next morning and 
drove them home again to El ]\]oiite. ( )n the way they stop])ed, as everv one 
did. at the st()re near the ^Fission. Cyrus ISnrdick, the proprietor of the store, 
who knew all tlu' f.iniilies well, cautioned Stockton, "Letter kee]) out of it," he 
said, "i'.olli Lncle I'.illy .-ind Captain Horsey are dangerous men wdien aroused 
:uid will shoot at the drop of a hat." "1 know." said Stockton, "but I must take 
the girl home to her folks; I'll have nothing to do with the men." When Dorsey 
learned that they had gone again to the Rubottom home in El Monte, he came 
down to the store ;md loaded his gun. "lietter not go," said Kurdick, "L'ncle 



niSTt>RV AND BIOGRAPHY S5 

Hillyisa ,.,,, _.K^ . , •. . :...,.-.., ..Q 

I won't k n-law 

coming along the hedge, by the j»ath that ie<l to tht c 

threshold to meet him. Love and honor were at #u . cr 

would defend his daughter: the husband wmuM have his wife. Uoth were ■•! 

Southern 

It was L : 

still advancing, said. "I'll have my wife or die m the attempt. " "St'ip.' sai i 

Uncle iJilly. "not another^ step. " Cut Dorsey. read- _ ' 

from the hedge. i)ut the stem in his mnuth and can 

I'lilly one of his brace of - as he : >ame r 

L'ncle fiilly reached for his .. .. ... . :. red the :.- . . . ..isof the :,...... 

uphold them both. "It had to be." they said. "What else could either do? " But 
those wh' - i\ 

never cea - ._ _ : - 

home with his grandfather until, sometime later, his mother was married again. 
.\nd years after the granrlson cared for L'ncle I'.illy in his declining years until 
his death. 

One of the heirlixtms much prized by Kewcn Dor.sey is a Ixiwie knife, pre- 
sented to him not many years agi>. by the man who cared for his father's bixly 
when he was killed and who t<:«jk this knife from his belt at the time. It has 
an inlaid ■ -.d was always worn 'i 

reach. ]■■ ru were '(uick to act. 1 

dearer than life, and a man's life often dejiended ufxin his quickness with gim 
and knife. 

Besides this knife which his father carridl. Kewcn Dorscy prc>€rves also 
another whose story is even more sanguinary than this. .\n older knife than his 
father's, it bears the date ISJo. the year when it was made f"r his grandfather. 
L'ncle Billy Rubottom. .\nd this is the story of the older knife. When L'ncle 
Billy first crfpssed the plains in 1852 he came in charge ••{ an er -ain nf 

over one hundred wagons. (.)ne of the party t'X'k with him a , i nine 

negroes. \\ hether these negroes were his slaves or were l'>aned <t rented to him 
by anotht' ' 1 were to be returned is ii ' ' ' cs 

became i: . not return. .\nd when I i' • 

.\rkansas there were some who said that he had sold these negroes himself and 
pocketed the money. One day as he was organizing another caravan to go lack 
to California two men came to him with the direct charge. It is nut difficult ti> 
guess what L'ncle ISilly said. -\t any ' '>i the ■ li 

passed thrc.nv'i l'ncle Billy's haufl. tear;: , inger^ ni. . , ar 

through '. Believing himself mortally wounded, but with incredible 

stamina he arcv a silk handkerchi- ' ' ' ' •• bullet ' ' ' ' ' w 

of blixnl. and then in a frenzy of : ! after ; is 

whr.le hand, he drew his knife from his iieit and pulled off the >heatli with his 
teeth. Then following the men upstairs, it is said that he fell ujwn them 
so furiously that he literally cut them all to pieces. .\ large ransom wa^ 
offered by the friends of the men for the capture of L'ncle Billy, dead 
or alive, and he was carrieil to the mountains by his brother, who cared 
for him there until the wound was healed, for it did not prove fatal after 
all. When he was \\" ' ' ' tn the valley 

and appeared at a lar-' .m that random 



«6 HISTORY AND lUOGKArilV 

is offered for," said liis brother as the_v came into view, "if anv one wants the 
money he'd better get him now." But no one made a move: somehow or other 
no one seemed anxious U< take him. Xo c(nn-i wcmld hold inm guilty, but there 
remained a family feud— a feud which would very likely have been much more 
serious if I'ncle Billy had not soon niuved West just as he had planned to do. 
h'ven on the way, it is said that a party came as far as New Mexico to get Uncle 
Billy and take him back, but, as "Toots" Martin and others who were in the party 
say, with a wise look and satisfied chuckle, "'Jdiey went back without him." Xor 
was this the end. of the story. ]\lany years after, when Uncle Billy was over 
seventy years old and had only a few more years to live (he died October 14, 
188.S), when .\. T. Currier was sheriff and A. B. Caldwell was postmaster in 
Spadra, letters came to Caldwell from a sheriff in Spailra Bluff's, Arkansas, imiuir- 
ing about William Rubottom. As a result of the correspondence which was car- 
ried on for some time, the Eastern sheriff' wrote Caldwell that he was coming on. 
Caldwell in the meantime had, of course, informed Uncle Billy and told him that 
the sheriff' was one of a number of the second generation determined to avenge 
the death of the two men whom he had killed nearly a half centurv liefore. 
Friends urged Uncle Billy to go north and avoid the trouble, and he was tem|jted at 
first to go. But as the time approached the old spirit prevailed and he said, "H — , 
what d(i I want to go away for? I'm too old t(.i run away. Let them come." 
W hen the sheriff" arrived at Sjiadra he was told where he would find his man. 
And sure enough he found him. For the cild man was waiting for him. With his 
old pistol in one hand and the same old knife in the other, L'ncle Billy shouted, 
"hands up." And the sherift"s hands went up i|uickly as Uncle Billy said "This 
is the same old knife that killed those men, and it is still good." There were 
more words, too. but they need not be told even if we knew what thev were. It 
is enough that again the man who came In "get" Uncle Billy returned without his 
quarry, and Uncle Ihlly was never molested again. In his later life the memory 
of the men whom he had killed would often come up to trouble him : but he woiUd 
always say, as he talked confidentially with his gr.-indson, "1 shuuld have to do 
just the same if I were living it over again." 

Still ancither tragedy in this much trouljled family came very near to wiping 
them all out. including the grantlson, Kewen Dorsey, as well. It was some years 
after the death of his father, when his mother had married James M. Greenwade 
and they were living in Cucamonga, not far from the countrv store which (jreen- 
wade kept. There were the father and mother and three little children. In those 
days when every one drank, and holidays were celel)rated by drinking "a little 
more," it came aljout that Greenwade and a cnmrade were celebrating Christmas 
night in the way they were wont to do, and the celebration continued till New 
Year's day, I860. In all this week from Christmas to New Year's neither of them 
was quite sober, ,'iuil both were threatened with delirium tremens before the spree 
was over. ( )ii .New Year's Eve Greenwade went down to the store with his jug and 
filled it up ai the barrel. Every country store then had its "barrel" for the con- 
venience of its customers, usually in the back of the store. A dipper hung near 
by and every one heljjed himself, leaving a dime for his drink. So Greenwade 
filled his jug at the barrel, but with it he mixed some strychnine, mistaking it per- 
haps for whiskey, in the hazy state of his mind. Coming back to the house again 
he got some glasses, filled them with the concoction, and urged them all to drink. 
Greenwade him.self drank first, and his little daughter with him, but the mother 



HISTORY AND lilUGRAl'llV i<7 

became suspicious and caught tlic glasses away from tlie hoys liefore >lic or tliey 
had tasted it. Her susi)icions were at once confirmed, as husband and dautjhter died 
on the spot from the poison. Only by a miracle had Kewen and his mcjiiur and 
his half-brother Jefif escajied the same fate. Kewen"s mother was a true Ruhoi- 
tom, determined and fearless. After the death of Kewen's lather, liis namesake. 
Colonel Kewen, came into possession of certain pa|)ers and i)ropcrly belongintj 
to Kewen and his motlier. The mother tried repeatedly to get them from him. but 
in vain, until, taking matters into her own hands, she demanded ihcm of him at the 
point of a revolver and got them. 

These accounts of the tragedies in this one family in Spadra read to u-- today 
life the fantasmagoria of another world, as indeed they were, for the times were 
stremious. and law and order were only in the making then. They were not 
strange then, however, but rather typical. Despite this background of another 
generation, and in fact ]jartly because of it, Kewen Dorscy has been a most 
valuable citizen in town and valley. l!y reason of his good judgment and ability, 
he has helped very materially in the building up of its resources. His tall, well- 
knit figure is typical of his rugged strength of character and his clear, steady eye 
is the mark of his sinceritv. 



CHAPTER FOl R 

TUK SPANISH SHTTLKMK.Xr AT SAN JOSk }I1LLS 

Cyrvs Hlrdick, the Pioneer of Pomona — Reaolitionarv Fokckaks — ( )\i:i;- 
LANo JorRNEv — Residence at San Gabriel — Eartiiqiakes — Removal to 
San |(jse X'allev — First Oranc.e Grove — Mexican Life at the Si-anisii 
Settlement — Passing of the Early Generation — Children of Vgnacio 
Palomares — The \'e.iar Families — The Vgnacio Alvarado Hoise and 
Its Activities — The Indians — The First School and Its Teacher. P. C. 
ToNNER — First Schoolholse — Tonner the Teacher — Tonner the 
Sti'iient and Poet — Sweet San Jose — The L<mii' and Meserve and Other 
Early Tracts of the San Jose de Arika. 

The scene of this story reverts very Mxm to the spot at which the story 
began, to the eastern end of the San Jose Hills and the stream through the willows 
at their foot, where Don Ricanlo \cjar and Don Vgnacio Palomares first sur- 
veyed the valley with approving eyes and where a little later, together with their 
families and with appropriate religious exercises, they took formal possession of 
the Rancho.* It was in 1870 that Cyrus Burdick an<l his family came to this 
place and bought a small tract of land beside the stream and over the end of th>' 
hill. As he was thus the first .\merican, not of Spanish bliX)d. to come intr. what 
is now Pomona to live, and since he was fo conspicuous a figure in its early devel- 
opment, it will be of interest first to go back some years and follow this family 
from their Eastern habitat to their final home in the Golden Hespcrides. 

In Revcjlutionary days the forbears of both Cyrus Piurdick and his wife lived 
in \'ermont and New York. Gideon Purdick. his granilfathcr. was liorn in Rliodt 
Island in \7()2. and was a drummer-lx)y in the army. From an authentic account 
of that time we find that "when very young he volunteered in the Revolutionary 
War, and served under General George Washington in Defense of his Country : 
for which several years previous to his death he received eight dollars a month. 
as a pension from the Government of the United States." Judge Thomas P>urdick. 
father of Cyrus, was a survey<ir and teacher when a young man in Jamestown. 
L"tica. and other places in New ^'ork. He wrote a text book on aritlmietic which 
was publishe<l in Albany and used in the schools of the state. In Iowa, to which 
state he moved later, he was mentioned as "a prominent and well-known citizen 
at Cfiuncil Pluffs." and he held various positions of trust in Pottawattamie 
County, among them that of county clerk and of county judge. The spirit of 
the [lioneer must have l)een in their blo<id, as the family moved from point to 
jMjiiit westward across the Cfmtinent. N'ot for the sake of adventure but in search 
of a i)emianent home and a larger, freer life in the ever enlarging West. tlie\' 
followed the retreating frontier from New York to Ohio, from Ohio to Illinois 
anfl Iowa, and thence, trekking over ]ilains and mountains, to the very Pacific 
Coast. Time after time tin- f.iiniU !;rdtcd on the frontier and e^taMi^hcd tluni- 

' See page 31^. 



90 HISTORY AX I) lUOGRAPHY 

selves, believing their wanderings over and hoping to abide. But each time it 
was only for a sojourn of a few months or years before the same spirit com- 
pelled them to "pull up their stakes" and nmve on. The last long trek was that 
in 1853 from Council Bluffs, Iowa, in prairie schooners across the plains to 
Colorado, Utah and California. The party made up a large caravan. Wagons 
loaded with household goods and provisions were drawn by oxen and by horses. 
W omen and children also were made as comfortable as possible under the great 
canvas to]is of these wagons. But the younger men for the most part rode horse- 
back, herding the cattle and scouting ahead to make sure of the road, and to guard 
against attack. At least, ibis was the way they started out. When they arrived 
in San Bernardino, the men were all afoot, and barefoot many of them besides, the 
last cows of their herd were hitched into the wagons, in place of the oxen and 
horses wiih which they had started, dragging them slowdy in on the last stretch 
of the terrible overland trail. Sickness bad delayed them at vSalt Lake and com- 
pelled them to cbnige their plans and to come by the southern route to Los 
Angeles instead of going to Sacramento \"alley as they had intended. Yet not- 
withstanding all the sufferings and hardships which they actually experienced on 
the way, they appear to have been more filled with gratitude for their escape 
from other and worse dangers than with weariness and relief on account of those 
encountered and now past. Once at least they had escaped an ambush by hostile 
Indians, once they had all but drunk of poisoned w'ater, and once a fate like 
that of the Donner Lake party at the hands of ]\Iormon-sup[')orted Indians, was 
narrowly averted. Survivors of this journey tell of supernatural guidance, of 
spiritual warnings on accoimt of which by taking a different course, or making a 
long detour, each of these disasters was avoided. Wonderful it certainly was. 
if not even miraculous or providential. As the party came down from the pass 
into the midst of the green fields and gardens of the little settlement at San Ber- 
nardino, it seemed to them a very paradise. Here were feed for the cows and 
fresh fruit and vegetables for the travelers, rest for all, and freedom from the 
thraldom of anxiety and hunger and fear. But after a short time for rest at San 
Bernardino the Burdicks and others of the jiarty pushed on to San Gabriel and 
Los .\ngeles. 

In the family of Cyrus Burdick, then a young man of nineteen, were his 
father. Judge Thomas Burdick, his mother Anna ("Higlev) Burdick. bis two 
brothers Horace and Thomas, and his sister Lucretia who had married James 
Frank Burns, one of the overland party as they were crossing the plains. .At- 
tracted liy the settlement at vSan Gabriel and bv the favorable conditions for 
farming, tbe_\ first securerl some land east of the village, and made their home 
there while looking into various opportunities for occupation and investment. In 
their search for favorable openings Cvrus Burdick went as far north as Pugct 
Sound, and was interested for a time in mining in .\rizona and in the tin mines 
at Teniescal. In 18.56 he decided to open a store in San Gabriel in company with 
Frank P.urns. Burns was a dynamo of energy and in the opening and building 
up of tlu-ir business was a good partner for the more (Uiiet and conservative Bur- 
dick ; but he soon grew tired of the store, and while be retained his interest in 
the business, he ceased to take an active part in it. He soon moved to Los .Angeles 
where he was fur ni.iny \ears a ncitable character and filled many important 
positions — teacher, county school suiiei'inlendent. count\- slu-rift" and chief of 
police. 




CYRIS KIROUK 



lUSTURV AND nioGRArilV '»1 

Tlic long adolje Iniililing just across the road from the Mission cliurcli was 
a strategic location tor their store. It was a central spot for the villagers as well 
as for the ranchers who came in for tools and provisions. It was convenient for 
travelers on the road between the Pueblo and the country who wanted to stop for 
something to eat or to ilrink, or for ammunition for their guns, for feed for their 
animals, or for rope or leather or anything else needed in mending wagon or 
harness, or bridle. It was also a convenience for those who lived at the Mission 
or who came there to mass and could thus do their errands on the way. More- 
over they soon discovered that besides keeping a good stock of the necessaries of 
life, the young storekee])er llurdick was always fair in his dealings, ready to 
accommodate and never meddled in others' affairs. Studying with Padre Sanchez, 
he set himself earnestly to learn the language of the Mexicans, who constituted, 
of course, the greater ])art of his customers, and he was often consulted by those 
who were in trouble, for they found they could always trust in his advice. Traders 
came from far-away points, not only to buy but to sell and exchange grain and 
potatoes and onions they brought from El Monte ; butter and eggs, and shingles 
and wood from San P.ernardino. So the business and good re]nitation of the 
store grew steadily stronger, and friends and ac<]uaintances increased. 

The incident related in the last chapter, when ITilliard P. Dorsey stopped at 
the store to load his guns on the way to his last impromptu duel, was not an 
uncommon one. .\s a result doubtless of his willingness to accommodate and 
his giving every one a s(|uare deal he rarely "lost an account." Sometimes in 
those days of tlie \'igilantes. more unscrupulous and lawless than their name- 
sakes in the Xorth. an account would end abruptly, as when one day some men 
came by the store with a fellow whom they had caught stealing horses, and one de- 
manded some rope to string him up with. "I'll sell you no rope for lynching." 
said P.urdick. "If you have the power to take the man and hang him you have 
the power to take the rope." .\s they strung up the thief to a tree on the street, 
the merchant went to his ledger and wrote across the credit side of the fellow's 
account, "balanced by death from hanging." 

In January. 18,S0, Cyrus Burdick married Amanda Chapman, a young daugh- 
ter in a family whom the Burdicks had known in the East. By extending the 
adobe store building, a suite of rooms was added for their home. It was while 
taking an inventory of some goods he was buying from her father that Mr. 
Burdick met the young woman who soon became his wife. Charles P. Chapman, 
her father, had come across the ])lains froiu Iowa. Her mother, .\manda Fuller, 
was from \'ermont. According to a number of early settlers in Monte and San 
Gabriel, she was "the prettiest girl in the \"alley." But more than this, she was 
a fine housekeeper and nurse and a most necessary helpmeet for the \oung store- 
keeper. Though of Eastern parents she soon became a favorite with the best 
Mexican families as well as with the few .Americans in the \'alley. .Among tho.so 
who liked to tarry at the store and visit with the Burdicks. when they came to 
the Mission or passed by on their way to Los .Angeles, were the P.ilomarcs and 
\'e]'ar families from the San Jose Rancho. And there were other friends living at 
this time near the Mission who later moved to the San Jose \'alley. Notable 
among them were the families of C. F. Poop and F. M. Slaughter, ot whom this 
history has more yet to say. 

So the life here was full of incident and interest, of jileasure as well as busi- 
ness. .As one looks back upon it. there must have been far more of service, in 
contributing to the comforts and needs nf others, than of prolh getting for theiu- 



92 lllSTORV AND lilUCiRAl'llV 

selves. Living for a time in t|uarters at one end of the store, they awoke every 
niornint; wilii the chimes of the Mission bells in their ears — "those musical Mission 
bells," as Mrs. ISurns, Mr. Ijurdick's sister, now in her ninety-first year, refers to 
them, fondly recalling the memories of those Mission days. Sunday services and 
daily mass were conducted by the Spanish padres, of whom there were still one 
or two ahva\s there. And Mrs. Rurdick tells of gala days, fiestas and barbecues — 
and (if the bull-and-bear fights S(t dear to the Mexican heart, with gay toreadoi - 
and w itli the usual gory ending when the bear, rising up on his haunches with 
fore]5aws outstretched for his bear hug, would receive the ugly thrust from the 
horns of the angry bull. 

In 18(0 Mr. lUirdick brought from San Diego three swarms of bees, the first 
to be introduced in the \'alley. Studying their habits ami taking special care of 
them himself, he was able to sell at a dollar a [lound all the honey he could produce, 
'i'his alcine wnuld soon have earned him a small furtune. but he became so impreg- 
nated with the ])oison from bee-stings that he was threatened with tetanus and 
his <Iiictnr warned him that he must give up his bees at once. 

During a large ]iart of their time in San Gabriel eartlniuakes were of frequent 
occurrence. The most vigorous and terrifying of all was that of 1855, when Los 
.\ngeles and all the \ alley were rocked to their foundations. Adobe houses with 
walls three feet thick cracked and crumbled into piles of debris. When a heavy 
shock was felt ]ieople woul<l rush out int<.i the open, there to find the cattle bawling 
with legs asprawl. and tree trunks swaying frmn side to side like drunken men. 
The water in the ditches was rocked and spilled, or even (|uite emptied out Koi 
weeks at a time, so the older residents narrate, the earth was never quiet. Dishes 
were always rattling. Retaining strips were fastened to the shelves to keep things 
from sliding nff. Kven when not conscious otherwise of a tremor, one might 
often see the siu'face of the water in a tumbler slightly (|ui\-ering. Those who 
live<l in old adobe buildings like the store, whose massive walls supported those 
great s(|uare-hewn pine timbers, hauled from the vSan Rernardino Alountains, 
were in ci instant f^■ar of l.ieing buried inider these great roof timbers. 

Tt was during their lite at San Gabriel that the Civil War broke out. Many 
of the lUirdicks' closest friends were Southerners and erne of the most intimate 
was K. M. Slaughter, who was intenseh' "re1)er' in his sxnipathies. But in his 
f|uiet way C}rus Rurdick was always deeph' luxal and patriotic. ITe early enlisted 
for service in the I'ninn army and rcceiverl his arms and eouipment from the gov- 
ernment, but as mobilization of Western volunteers was repeatedly postponed, 
for him as for many other Californians the call never came. 

Tt has been stated that Rurdick and R.urns rarely lost an accotmt. This was 
especially true n\ their Alexican customers. Honesty and candor usuallv command 
a retiu'ii in kind — noblesse ohlir/e — but not alwav's. In an unfortunate hnur Mr. 
Rurdick was persuaded to endorse a note fur a minister li\ing then in San Gabriel. 
The amount of the note^about $8.000 — wmild ncit be considered large today, and 
the ))ossibilit\- nf demand upon him would seem to be remote considering the 
])osition ;md st.mding of the principal signatorv. Rut when the note matured the 
minister. ;i .Mr. I'.rewster. had absconded leaving word that Mr. Ruidick would 
have to ])ay the note. All he had was in the store. Tie was urged to repudiate, 
to go through bankruptcv. to ]ilace his propertv in his wife's name or his part- 
ner's. I'.ut fur Iiim ;dl this was unthinkable. Doubtless he could have borrowed 
a large part of the .•uununt from friends, but after this experience he would ask- 
no one to endorse anv note of his. There was onlv one wav to meet the obliga- 



IllSTDRV AND 1!1( H.RAl'llV '».? 

tioii anil this lie fullnwcd williout hcsitalioii. At a t\-art'iil sacrilicc cvltn tiiinj^ 
was sold nut, even their private furniture — everythin};; had tu y>i. I'.ut the nvine\ 
was raised and the note paid off. 

This experience is a strikiii}; index of the sterlinij integrity which was a <l(ini- 
inant characteristic i>I this pioneer — all the mure c<piisi>icuous in a tinu- when life 
anil law and order, ami character even, were li<,'htly esteenied. This same ciiar- 
acteristic of scrupiilmis Imnesty com[)elled other sacrifices later. .\t niie time after 
hargaining fur a large tract at Twelfih and Main streets in Lus .\ngeles. and 
making certain jiayments on it, he sacrificed it all to meet other nhligatiniis. Cmi- 
sidering the enornimis values existing in and on pmiierlies which .Mr. Knrdick 
has owned in Los Angeles and Pomona, one might well wmider how he escaped 
hecoming a millionaire, lint the explanation is clear. It was this ahsolnle liunesly 
and an alnmst ultra-conservatism which comhined to prevent his gaining great 
wealth, llecause of these trails manifested often later in the develi)])ment of the 
town and valley he has hcen called sometimes "timid" and a "moss-hack." 'I'iiey 
were, however, elements most needeil here at that time and later in the ma 1 days 
(if wildcat sjieculatinn hursiing in the hoom, elements that made him a tnwer <t\ 
strength huth to the community and to many reliant friends. Xo wmider tlial 
every one said "his word is as good as his bond": no wonder that "Don Cy" was 
trusted implicitly liy every one. esjiecially by the Mexicans, who knew that he 
wouhl nut see one wrungefl or exploited, as so many were because of their ignor- 
ance of our language and laws. 

.\bont this time Judge I'.iirdick disposed of his ranch at San Gabriel and se- 
curcil a ])lace near the old fort on Fort Street then in the outskirts of the rneblo 
and far enough from the IMaza to be had at a small i^rice. It extended fruiii the 
corner of First and Fort, now I'.madway. well uj) the hill u])|)usite the sput on 
which the City Jail now stands, and as far as the F'ort on the side which now 
overlooks The Tiiius It was a fine, sightly location, and on it was a large adui).- 
house, built by sume Mexicans of earlier days, and ample enough to accommudate 
not only "Grandpa and Oandma liurdick" but the families of their children when 
they returned for long or shurt visits, as they often did. F'or Thomas P.urdick 
was very fond of his children and ready to make any sacrifice for them. So the 
old adobe below the- Fort was the headi|uartcrs for all the lUirdick familie- fur 
man\ years after. Here Judge I'urdick even in his declining years found much 
to do in a legal and clerical way. In 18.^6 he was elected County Supervisor. 
Dignified in appearance and bearing, always scrupulously clean and correct in hi~ 
dress, he was a figure even more conspicuous in the W est than he had been in 
the Fast. .\nd these were but the outward signs <<{ an inner breeding .ind upright- 
ness ouite as marked. 

.After disposing of their business at San Gabriel in 1S!<>4. Cyrus I'.unlick was 
engaged in several occu|)alions in Los .\ngelcs and elsewhere, including a mining 
venture in .\rizona. In ISAA, he went tu the Chino ranch where for two years 
he had a dairy and made fine cheese for the Los .\ngeles markets. Here again 
he had as friend and neighbor Hun. V. M. Slaughter, who had moved from Sa;i 
Gabriel to his ranch at Rincon. This was after the death of Rubert Carlisle, and 
while the ranch was in charge uf Jue r.ridger. another son-in-law <•{ Coluncl 
Williams. 

.\fter two years on the Chino Mr. T'lUrdick decided to have a ranch and cattle 
of his own. even if on a small scale. In the San Dimas Canyon, nurtli i>i Mud 
SpriiiL's. there was living at this time a Dr. Charles Cunningham and hi- family. 



94 illSTURV A.\U UiUGRAi'iiV 

who iiad come from Sail Bernardino not long before and taken up a quarter 
section of government land. He called Mr. Burdick's attention to part of a 
section between his land and that of ilenrv Daltim, in the adtlition to the San 
Jose Tract, near the mouth of the San Dinias Canyon, and urged him to come 
there. Thus it came about that he selected for his ranch the place on which is 
now the C. C. Warren house and grove. Here they built a dwelling house, barn 
and milkhouse. From the Chino ranch they secured a small bunch of selected 
cows and heifers and a few liorses. For a time the venture proved successful. 
There was plenty of water and feed for the cattle and their stock increased in 
innnber. 

And then there came the terrible tlroutb of LSO'); the feeil gave out; and the 
stream was dry far up in the canyon, landing a jilace where the feed was belter, 
near what was Anaheim Landing, he arranged for pasturage and drove a herd of 
100 fine COW'S over there. Then came a scourge of disease. Every day seven or 
eight of the animals w(_iuld come up to the fence by the house and stand there 
with legs spread out till the\' dropped down dead. Xo remedies seemed to avail. 
vSo his herd dwindled away and all his capital (and interest, too, in the business) 
till he went back to San Dimas and soltl out his ranch to the Cunninghams. 

I ntil after 1S70 the chief industries of the San Jose and neighboring ranches 
had been the raising of cattle, and to s(.)me extent also, of grain. Only in a few 
home plots, near the larger haciendas, had any attempts at horticulture been made. 
Rieardo \'ejar had a small orchard of pears. At the Alvarado and I'alomares 
homes were other deciduous fruits. In the court at "Cactus Lodge" — the old 
Vgnacio .Mvarailo place now ciwned by 11. J. Nichols — is an old cherry tree 
which was doubtless planted before this time, also a number of old olive trees. 
Farther awa\', at Billy Rowland's on the Puente ranch, is an orchard of olive 
trees that must have been planted when the Rancho was first deeded to its grantees. 
And there are also orange trees, planted in the early fifties. Still farther removed 
from this \'alley were the A'ignes and Wolfskill orchards. In the old Alission 
garden at San ("labriel the padres cd" a ]>re\ious generation had planted a few- 
orange trees. This little orchard of perhaps a half acre, enclosed within heavy 
adobe walls and long guarded under kick and ke\'. was probably the oldest citru- 
grove in the South. 

When Cyrus Hurdick turned away from his ranch at San Dimas he was 
looking not only for a new place of residence but for a new occupation, .\fter 
careful investigation he decided to engage in horticulture and especially in the 
raising of citrus fruits. The few experiments mentioned showed that climate and 
soil were most favorable. As an industry' citrus growing was practically unknown : 
irrigation, save in a few rare instances, was ef|ually foreign: and as for organized 
marketing, there was none. But be had faith to make a beginning; and this 
decision was of much importance, for his exjjeriment was of far more than ]ier- 
sonal interest and significance. His grove of seedling oranges was the first in 
this N'alley. It was i:; fact a ]5ioneer enterprise. But it was not an undertaking 
of large jiroportion.s — small indeed as comi)ared with modern orchards, and small 
as compared with contemporary enterprises of other kinds. For the loss of his 
cattle, and other losses too, compelled him to begin all over again; looking to liis 
father for assistance in purchasing the land for the venture. In selecting the 
right location not soil Ijut water was the first consideration. In this choice he was 
aided by his ac(|uaintance with the large ranchers of the X'alley. It was Francisco 
I'alomares, son of Ygnacio, who urged him to come l<i the San lose ranch. Here 



HISTORY AND i;i< K.RAl'l IV ''5 

al the cinl 1)1 the liills wa^ the finest of soil anil aliimilance of water. 'I'o the oilier 
Mexican families on tiie Kancho San Jose de Ariha the liiinlicks were e<|iially 
welcome and they were able to buy a choice tract of land, with |)ernianent water 
right in the stream which flowed tiiroiif;h his land and in ihe s|)rint,'s to the norili 
which were its source. 

So it came about that Cyrus P)Urdick, the jiioneer .\merican in I'union.i, 
chose for his home and orchard almost the identical spot which had ])roved so 
attractive to the original grantees of the N'alley, Vgiiacio l^alomares and Kicardo 
X'ejar. when they first explored this region a generation or more before. Tin- 
forty acres of land which he bought at this time extended westward from Toma'^ 
I'alomares' west line, and northward over the hill from the "< )ld Cntinty Road," ;is 
Orange (jrove .Avenue was called. Part of this land is now in (lanesha Tark, 
south of the hills, and part in the new Ganesha Park tract. 

The first large ])lanting was about five hundred see<lling orange trees bought 
of a French nurseryman in Los .\ngeles. It was then supposed Ihat orange trees 
would not do well if ])lanted by daylight, so the holes were dug, and the trees 
brought out under cover, and .Mrs. P.urdick held a lantern while Mr. P.urdick and 
his helpers set them out by night. This was in the sjjring of 1S72. .\s these trees 
grew larger they became a source of considerable income, but when the market 
for navels was established the crop was of little value. With the opening up of 
the Ganesha Park tract in Pomona, this orchard of the oldest and largest orange 
trees in the X'alley was cut down. Many trees of other varieties were ])lanteii 
from time to time, and when later the navel orange was introduced a number of 
acres of these were added. P.esides the oranges, there were lemons and olives and 
a row of limes. There were walnuts, and almonds, and apples of many varieties, 
quinces, pears, peach.es and ])lums. The plain lioard house with its stone fire- 
place and chimney, which Mr. Piurdick built when he bought the place, was tlie 
family home for eighteen years. Conspicuous at first in its coat of whitewash. 
it was soon embowered in vines and lost among the large seedling orange and 
walnut trees about it. 

.At this time, that is in 1S70. the generation of Mexicans with whom the stnry 
of the \'alley began, was passing olT the stage, and a new generation was coming 
on. Those whom Cyrus P.urdick found as his neighbors and contemporaries on 
the San Jcise Rancho were the sons and daughters of the original grantees. 

MEXICA.N LIFE AT THE SPANISH SETTLEMFN T 

Before turning to tlie beginnings and devclupmcnt d the town of Pomona, 
it will be fitting at this time to consider briefly the passing of the earlier genera- 
tion of Mexican pioneers, the families which took their place, and their life at 
the San Jose Hills before the .Americans came, save for the P.urdicks anil a few 
who followed them. 

The first of the early generation of Spaniards in this \'alley to pass oflf the 
stage, one of the most noted of his time, was Don .Antonio Maria Lugo, grantie 
of the great Chino Rancho, who died in IS^O. The great estate was now divided 
among his grandsons and granddaughlers or their husband'^. The Chino had 
passed from Colonel Williams, his son-in-law, first to RolK-rt Carlisle, who mar- 
ried his daughter, Francisca, and then, after the death of Carlisle, to Joe P.ridger, 
who had married another daughter, \'ictoria. The Cucamonga Ranch was i:i 
charge of Colonel John Rain*, hn-iband of Maria Merced, still another daughter 
of the Colonel. 



96 [llSToRV AM) llloGRAPIIV 

Don Ygnacio I'alomares had died on the second of November, 1864. dividing 
hi> half of the San Jose Rancho among his immediate heirs. It is doubtless trne, 
and will probal)l\- cimtinne to lie true historically, that the interest of the people 
will generally center aliont this (me <d' the two first owners of the land in the San 
Jose \ alley more than in an\- dlher i>\ its worthy pioneers. For this reason we 
have reproduced parts of the wills Ixith of Don Vgnacio I'alomares and of his 
mother. Maria llenedita Saiz, resurrected from the earl\- records of the Probate 
Cnurt in Los Angeles. 

Excerpts tr.nnslatcd frcini the 

/;■//./. ()/• )'(;.v./{7o r.ii.oM.iRiis 

State of Califiirnia | IViwusJiip of San lose. 

County of Los .Vn^cles \ M) last will. 

In the name of Cod. and df the Creat Creator, Cdusidering that we are all 
mortals and lieing a little ill. 1 wish to dis]jose of the small fortune tliat Cod has 
given me. licfdre l)eing deprived of the cor])oreal faculties with which the nature 
of man is endowed. 

This twenty-third day of .April, eighteen hundred and sixty-four. I. A'guacio 
I'alomares. in due form according to the law of the United States, dn name as 
execntoi s niy wife. Cimcepcion L<ipez, and my son. Francisco Palomares ; 

.\rticle 1. 1 charge that when my smil is parted from my body, this shall be 
buried in the grave\ard where jiart of my family is already laid. 

.\rticle 2. My burial shall be simple and without iioni]). 

.\rticle 3. I leave my wife absolute owner of the following property (speci- 
lication of horses, cows and sheep ) the l.iud of the Rancho. excepting the portions 
)ny sons jjossess, which are the following: 

Tomas Palomares, my son, possesses a house with the land which it occupies, 
llis fences sjiall be forever respected. 

I leave my son. Francisco Palomares, owner of the old house ("la casa r'ieja" ) 
and land that is fenced separately from the property of Tomas Palomares. The 
\ineyard of San .\ntonio and house that is on the land of San Jose, together witli- 
the other house which is on the Camino Real of the same Ranch and the remain- 
ing |iroperty shall be respected as belonging to my wife. 

I declare that I ha\e had eight children, four males and four females. First. 
Puis Palomares died single. Second. Tomas F'alomares lives, married. Teresa 
Palomares lives, married. Francisco Palomares lives, single. Manuel Palomares 
died, married. Josefa Palomares lives, single. ]\laria de Jesus Palomares died, 
single. Carolina Palomares lives, single. 

My executors are freed from any bonds. 

A vineyard which belongs to the estate of mv deceased mother. ISenedita 
Saiz. shall be deli\'ered to her heirs b_\' my executors. 

.And that my will be resjiecti'd by my heirs and assigns and bv the laws of 
the I'nited vSiates. 1 sjon this on the Rancho de San Jose, this twenty-third of 
.Vjiril. ei.ghteen hundred and si-xt_\-four. 

Witness: Ygnwcio PalomariCs. 

Ycx ' .\l.\'.\K \I>o 

his 
Ric.\i;no J- \'ej.\I'! 
mark 



lllSn )KV AM) iU()(■.R.\l•ll^■ "»7 

Filed 111 till.- rmlialc Court \\illi this will arc: 

1. \\ itncss of \'gnacio Alvarado as to the will and death of \'f^naciii ralomarcs. 

2. A rccei])t l)v W'iiiliiig & King, April 1, 1S75. fur $200 hy Krancisco I'alnmarcs 
for "prDfcssirinal" services in llie matter of contest of survey of San lose 
Ranclio and water rights of said raiicho. 

3. The appointnient in April. 1^'73. of A. T. Currier. 1'. C. 'Idnner. .md W illi.ini 
Riihottom as ajipraiscrs. 

4. Petition for probate of will, December 14. 1864. by A. J. King, naming as 
heirs, Tomas. Teresa, I""rancisc<J, Josefa, Carolina I'alomares, and Saniue! 
Rubidoiix de I'alomares. 

5. Decree allowing the final account. March IS. lS7'i. 

6. Petition for disirihiuion. March 27. 1S76. 

7. Decree of dislriljution. June .\ 1S76. 

8. Statement of accfaiul. 

'>. Will of lienedita Saiz, motlier of ^'gnacio Paloniares. 

The decree of distribution recognizes as heirs: Tomas Paloniares. Teresa 
I'alomares. Francisco I'alomares. hjsefa I'alomares. Carolina I'alomares. and 
Concepcion I.opez de I'alomares. his wife. It directs that the whole property be 
delivered to his wife. Tlie projjerty described consists of 3.335 acres of the 
Ranclio San lose, of the ai)praised value of $23,345. and cash amounting to 
$17,500. 

The will of his mother is even more (|uaint and interesting. esi)ecially in the 
original ; but only a jiart of the translation is given here : 

■'in the name of Cod .Almighty, one in spirit and three in jjcrson. in whom [ 
have faith to live and die according to the Catholic religion which I ])rofess. and 
in which I ])rofess to live and die. I, Maria Uenedita Saiz. finding myself in sound 
health and full judgment, have re-^olved before three witnesses to write ihi- 
my will : 

1st. Committing my soul U) the Lord most High, who created me and re- 
deemeil me with his precious blood, by whose favor I have lived till now in tliis 
world ; 

2nd. I desire and it is my will that after my death nn- body shall be buried 
in the Catholic cemetery of this city of Los .Angeles. 

3rd. Furthermore. I affirm that I am seventy-three years of age. a little 
more or less: that I was married according to the rites of the Catholic Ciiurch to 
Don Jose Cristobal I'alomares in the former mission of Santa Clara of this Stale 
of California, at the age of twelve years, a little more or less, by which marriage 
we have had twelve chililren. ( )f them, three <lied without issue, and the other 
nine who are living are the following: Francisco, \'gnacio, P>arbara. Concepcion. 
Maria del Rosario, Estefana. Dolores, Josefa. Maria de Jesus. The which I con- 
stitute my legitimate heirs, and my goods shall be divided among them in equal 
parts, except my house, w hicli I actually possess, which I leave to my sini "N'gnacio, 
as is explained in a separate article. 

4th. ( Xo obligations and no bills due. I 

5th. Furthermore. I affirm that I have a home situated on Main Street, 
consisting of three rooms, which I orrler and it is my wish that it be clelivered with 
its own ground plot to my son. Don "Sgnacio I'alomares, excepting eleven 7vra.<!. 
a little more or less, to the south of sai<l house, which I have deeded to my 
daughter, Maria del Rosario. 

f ( )mitting 6th and 7tli. ) 



VS IIIST( )R^■ AXD I'.K iCKAniV 

Sth. Furlhcniiorc, 1 dcsiynalc as my lawful executors, my sou Yguacio 
I'alomarcs, Don Jose Luis I'aloniarcs, and Don Yguacio ]\lai"ia Alvarado ; and 1 
charge these three gentlemen to comply religiously with this my last will, in whose 
hands I place henceforth all my trust, not douhtiug that S(5 it shall be justified. 

Angeles, 10 December, 1855. 
M,\Ki.\ -(- Be:nedit.\ S.\iz. 

witness witness 

Ca(t lyetano Arenas Jose .\nt"' Carrillo 

witness 
Jose Juan Alvarado." 

(_)f the children of Ygnacio, three had dii'd — TvUis. Manuel and Alaria de Jesus. 
Carolina, the youngest, and a most charming girl, lived to be nearly twenty years 
(jl<l and was almnt to he married when she ilied. It was natural and fitting that 
two of the children of Ygnacio i'alomares should marry two of the children of 
Ricardo \ ejar. and that the association of these old grantees of the rancho should 
be in this way jjerpetuated. Thus Tomas Palomares. the oldest living son. married. 
Aladelena \ ejar, and Teresa Palomares was married to Ramon \'ejar. The home 
of Tomas I'alomares was situated, as has been stated, east of the Burdick place, 
m a two-story adobe house, long known as the ".Alkirc Place" and not far from 
tlu- San Jose ( )ak. Don Tomas was a lai'ge man, stout and hearty, with a knid 
heart and a cheery laugh. He wore a full l)c:n'd ;inil was a good-looking man. 
Ouiet and retiring in disposition, he was thoroughly honest but not shrewd. .\.ud 
Ijccause he was not more aggressive he lost much of the land which he inherited. 
At this time a large family was growing up around them — Ricardo, Luis, 
Isidora (who later married jNIauuel Ciarcia i, Je^us (wife of I^eborio Rowland at 
Puenle), Ramon, and Carolina. 

l''(ir a time after the death of Ygnacio, Pancho I'alouiares. as Francisco was 
always called, lived with his mother, Concepciou, and the younger children at 
the home place. This is the adobe built by Ygnacio on the Camino Real, and later 
known as the Aleserve place, on Cucamouga Avenue in North Pomona. The first 
house, wdiich had stood between the present sites of the "Casa Palomares" and 
"Cactus Lodge," had been taken down and its adoljc bricks used in other buildings. 
The old homestead on the Camino Real was a fiopular filace in its day: and it'; 
ticiidila was a favorite resort. 

When Pancho married Dona Ltigarda Alvarado they moved to the Casa 
Palomares, nearer to the San Jose Hills, and since known as the Pancho Palomare;; 
house. 1 lere his children. Concepciou, Cristina, h'rauk and Porfirio. were born. 
Pancho Palomares was genial and popular, more energetic than Tomas and more 
inclined to business. He was designated by his father as an executor of his will 
and was also his mother's agent in most of her business relations. He was later 
associated with Air. r)Urdick on the school Ijoard and in various subdivisions 
and sales of land. From 1872 to 1875 he held the office of county supervisor. 

There was another sister of Tomas and I'aiulio ]'al<imarcs, Doiia Josefa, who 
was the second wife of Trinidad, son of Bernardo Vorba, whose grants from the 
Mexican C.overnment included the Ivancho dc la Sierra, Rancho Santa Ana. and 
Rancho de Canon Santa Ana, a great estate of 163.000 acres, whereon are now 
the cities of Santa .\na. Orange, and .Xnaheim, and most of Orange County. 

In 1870. Doll Ricardo A'ejar was still living, well along in v'cars, at the home 
in W'alinit to which they moved in 184'', on leaving the old place by the Spadra 
hills. This later home place, a twn-story adobe, with its home orchard, sur 




< 



o 
< 



£ 

S 







o 



IHSToRV WI^ I'.lOGRAl'lIV '>>> 

rouiuli-'d by a stidiiy trascci imi, \\.i> a ink.- ix.iinplc of the old Mexican liaciciula. 
Here also was built the first cliapel in the \'allcy, and the bell wliicli was liiini; in 
this chapel was the tirst church bell* to ring in this region. I lere he spent iiis 
declining years till his death, at the age of seventy-seven. His children, nnv,- 
married and with families of their own, were widely scattered. Two of them, 
Concepcion and Josefa, had married Demetrio and I.eonoro Martinez; I'ilar was 
the wife of Jose Antonio Lugo (of the .\ntonio Maria Lugo family i : Maria had 
married .\ntonio Maria Reyes, and after his death Teodoso I'erez ; Francisco 
(Chico) ha<l built and occujiied tlie adobe in which Louis Phillips later liveil ; an<l 
two, as we have seen, married children of \'giiacio Palomares. ( )f these two wi 
have already referred to Dona Madelena, the wife of Tomas Palomares. Th.' 
other was Ramon, who married Dona Teresa Palomares. 'J'heir estate included 
then, as now, some 230 acres north of the San Jose Hills and south of the Lords- 
burg road. It was Ramon who as a boy of sixteen watched the battle of the Chiiio 
Ranch House, and recovered his mount after it had been scizeil by a soldier. 'l"he 
\'ejar home was another center, not only of ranch and farm life, but of family 
reunions and general good cheer. Dona Teresa Palomares de \ ejar was (|uite 
remarkable for her cniiet dignity ami reserve. Her fine character showed in the 
strong lines of her face. .\ perfect lady, "to the manor born," she was fond of 
her home, bringing up her large family with scrupulous care. Though living to h 
ripe old age, her mind was always clear and keen. The old adobe house has 
only recently been destroyed by tire, and with it priceless heirlooms of early Span- 
ish an<l foreign origin. Don Ramon is. at the time this book is written, in \')V>, 
one of tlie la.st of liis generation in the \'alley. and though seventy-nine years of 
age, is still vigorous in mind and full of the memories, both humorous and tragic, 
of the early days. 

P.y 1870 Luis .Arenas, third of the early grantees, was gone and his children 
were living, some of ihem at the Huaje,i others farther west on the County Road, 
all to be widely scattered in later years. The wife of Luis .\renas. Dona Jo:-efa 
Palomares de Arenas, sister of Ygnacio, was, like her niece. Dona Teresa I'alo- 
mares de \'ejar, a lady of di.stinguished ai)pearance and dignified bearing, having 
the highcs*. respect of all who knew her. The daughters of Sefior Luis and Dona 
losefa were all beautiful women. .\nd one at least was to become ipiite rich i-i 
her marriage to the "I!ean King" of \'entura County. 

I'.eyond the \ejar place to the west on the Mud Si)rings Roail was the ranch 
of Trinidad Vorba. Sencr Trinidad Yorba was a son of llernardo Vorba, men- 
tioned above as one of the leading Spanish gentlemen of the county. In the story 
of the Puente Rancho, the relation of the Yorba family to the Rowlands, grantees 
of the Puente Rancho, has been noted. Dona Sinobia Yorba. who married Tomas 
Rowlan 1. and Dona Leonora Vorba. who married Juan Rowland, brother of 
Tomas, were both sisters of 'I'rinidad and daughters of llernardo ^■orba. '1 he 
large family of Trinidad Yorba was reduced, by the early death of six children 
:,nd of Don Trinidad himself, to the mother. Dona Maria Jesus Lugo de Yorba, 
and two children, Francisca and i'orfirio. Of these, Porfirio now lives with his 



• This bell is |tu,-ir<lcil as ,i much prijcd relic l.v the family of Ramon Vciar: ihroiiRh the r rourtc-»y 
it was used at the paKfant in the (".reck Theater in Claremont, cclehrating, in 19IJ, the twenty-fifth anni- 
versary of I'omona CoIIckc. 

♦ The "Iluajc" (Indian for springs) was at the turn of the "Old County Road" now known as Orange 
Oove .\venue. hetween Carey and Tuwne a\eniies. M that time the county road made no turns hetween 
what is now Carry rnd S.->n .\nlonio avenues, hut ran diagonally in a northeasterly direction and crossed 
"Kl X'erdc" ranch between the house and barn. 



100 IIISTOI-IV AXl) lUOCRAIMlV 

family on the did place, and Francisca is the wife of Frank \'ejar, a son of 
Ramon, their home beiny on the \'ejar estate, to the west of the old homestead. 

There was still another family whose name is well known among the ranchers 
livinj^ about the San Jose Hills in 1870, and wdiose name, through their children, 
is a familiar one tixlay. Jt is a name also closely associated with that of I'alomares. 
For it was through l'',ponioceno Alvarado, who married Dona Barbara, a sister of 
Ygnacio I'alomares, that the Alvarado family came into the \'allev. The older 
generation soon passed away, but two of the children were living at this time, with 
their families, south of the San Jose Mills. The land of Mariano .Mvarado lay 
to the west and south of Cyrus lUu'dick's. Isidro Alvarado, his brother, lived 
slill farther to the west on the north side of the County Road. IMariano 
had lived for a time on what was later the Loop place. It is said that he 
bought the place of \'gnacio I'alomares for two horses, as the latter was anxious, 
while living in the old adobe to the west, to have another familv near bv, on 
account of the Indians, who sometimes made trouble. Later, however, the place 
reverted to the I'alomares family and Mariano moved to their place farther west 
on the County Road. Another brcjther, Francisco Alvarado, lived near the Rubi- 
doux Hills, beyond Chino, and his daughter, Dolores, became the wife of Hon. F. 
M. Slaughter of Rincon. The fine adobe east of the San Jose I tills and south of 
the Casa Palomares. now called "Cactus Lodge,'' was the home of Ygnacio 
Alvarado. During the later years of his life Ygnacio .Alvarado was confined to 
his bed, stricken with paralysis, Init the house continued to be a center of attraction 
in the comnumity, because of its location and roominess, and because of Dofin 
Luisa Ar\ila de .\l\arado, his wife, whose quiet hosjiitalitv stood out in contrast 
to the bru><|ueiiess of the paralytic. The ])icture of "'I'ia Luisa," as recalled by 
one who knew her, is that of a lady in black, dressed always in a loose waist, but- 
toned in front like a smock, and full-plaited skirt, with a large white neck-scarf 
or handkerchief over the shoulders, pinned at the throat with a brooch of jet or 
of Spanish gold, and w itli white stockings and black cloth slippers on her feet. Her 
kindness and generosity are well remembered. 

.\cross the road from Tonias Palomares, b\- the stream which ran south from 
the hills through the Tomas Palomares place, lived the (^larcias, a large familv 
with man}- children and a saintly mother, who was good ncit only to her own 
children but to all |)oor waifs about, a iiiodrina — godmother — indeed to everyone. 

North of the hills the .\rnetts leased land for fariuing for a few years before 
they moved to Spadra. 

Such was the extent and personnel of the settlement around the eastern base 
of the San Jose Hills in the early seventies. Farther east on the Camino Real was 
the little settlement that clustered about the Rains' jilace on the Cucamonga 
K';mch. Southeast on the road to \\"arner's Ranch was the Chino I'ianch House, 
now in charge of Jnc llridgcr, and its surrounding villagers. Down the vSan Jose 
Creek to the southwist was the Phillips Ranch House, Rubottom's and the begin- 
ning of the S])aclra settlement. At Pomona there was nothing — save pasturage and 
grain for the Philli|)s herds — not even the name or thought of a name. 

The adobe house of Ygnacio .Mvarado, with its one spacious rooiu, was 
always the gathering place for any social or religious occasion. The Alvarado 
dances were gay affairs. Sometimes the Mexican caballeros were dressed as of 
old in velvet knickerbockers, long silk hose and silver-buckled pumps, embroidered 
jackets and bright-colored waists and sashes, but usually riding in from a neigh- 
boring ranch, they would doff their sombreros and neckerchiefs and dance in their 



IIIS'IORV AND IIIOCRAI'IIV 101 

high leather hunts and clanking s]Hirs. which soim-tiincs, in i-i)itc i>\ their easy 
grace, wrought havDC with the rich >ilk- dresses of their partners. And lliose 
dresses of the scnoritas, heirlooms from geiicralinns <if Spanish aiicestrv, and the 
Chinese shawls of silk and gold, the lace and the mantillas I All this wealth of 
dress was only a foil for the heauty of face and figure of those who wore ihem. 
To the music of fiddle and guitar or accordion, and with nnich clap|jing of hands, 
while s<imeone called the cluiTiges, they danced the old i|uadrille>. the schottische 
and the polka. ( )r they sat around the room on the benches against the walls, 
while someone more graceful than the rest danced the caclittclm. or the iiurrido. 
The young men bought cascaroncs from the old Indians who made iheni, and tin- 
l)elle of the evening was the sefiorita. or .senora. whose hair was most tilled with 
the sparkling confetti from cascaroitcs broken over her head. 

Here also, at the Alvarado house, services were held once a month on Suixlay. 
when the padres came out from the Mission. .\nd there was a time when the 
services were held alternately here and at the I'alomares house farther east on the 
Caniino Real. .\nd the old adolie house has witnessed a inimljer of weddings, 
which among the Spaniards were great events. Xo money was spared to make 
the <lay as joyous a> p<'-.sil)lc. However poor the family, the bride must have a 
fine silk dress with veil and a wreath of wax flowers in her hair, white kid gloves 
and slippers — all paid for by the groom. Her mother must ])repare a sumptuous 
dinner, at whatever cost. If the money was not at hand they raffled olT a cow 
or .sold a horse, or borrowed it somewhere. Weeks beforehand the pre|)arations 
began, canning fruit and chilis, pickling olives an<l drying meat which later would 
be pouniled fine and served with gravy. Hogs were fattene<l for bacon and 
tamales. When at last the wedding ilay api)roached. everyone was invited. The 
marriage ceremony, following confession, was long and impressive, conducted by 
the Mission priest, and was for the most part in Latin, .\rising from their knees 
with the benediction of the jiadre upon them, the gay company went to the wedding 
diimer. Sometimes as many as a Inmdrcd gtiests sat down to one of these feast^. 
.And the Spanish housekeeper made the ni<ist of this chance to show her skill. 
Indians were hired to help; a large beef was killed and broiled on the coals; fried 
chickens and other meats were served for variety. There were ste:\ining bowls 
of sopa — a Mexican dish made of boiled rice with oni<:>ns and garlic and seasoned 
chilis, and with olives scattered through it like plums in a pud'ling. the whole fried 
to a delicious brown. Of course there was no end of sweets, like cakes, pastclles, 
jellies, fruits and coiiscn-as. liut the most delicious dish of all, the piixc dc 
rcsislancc ( how one's mouth waters to think of it ! i, was the juicy roast of yoimg 
pig, stuflfed with spices and brown as the crackling skin that Charles Lamb's I'obo 
and Hoti foimd so delicious. Of crmrse there was always the dance, much as we 
have described it above, but with even more gallantry and fine dress. Sometimes, 
as in the old days, men wore, just below their knees, yards of fine ribbon with 
little dolls and gewgaws fastened to their flying ends. 

Xearbv was the scene, too, for the celebration of festival days, of which there 
were so many in the Catholic calendar. Above all other days one remembers 
San Juan Day. The favorite sport on this day was sticaudo cl (lallo. Choosing 
a place besiile the road where it was liroad and shady, they would bury' a rooster 
in the ground, leaving only its heail and neck sticking out. Then men and boys 
would ride far up the road, each one ready to take his turn at the play. Down 
the road they would galloj) at full tilt, each one leaning over and trving to grab 
the rooster li\ ibi' bi:i.l r.m ./ ,;,i//,) is mii.-W nnl iwuallv dodged. Sometimes 



102 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

twenty or thirty would dash by before the rooster was caught. Sometimes a 
horse would shy and the rider would fall off, only to be dragged out of the way 
to make room for the rest. When one succeeded in catching a cock, there was 
great fun as he chased the others about, lambasting them with the fowl, which he 
still held by the head. They always rode in Mexican saddles, of course, with the 
big pommels, and with bridle reins of horsehair or hide or of braided leather. 
( )ther sports of San Juan Day were horse racing and trick riding, and cock fights. 
And then there was always a barbecue under the willows in what is now Ganesha 
Park. Here a fat steer was killed and a boniire made. Then everyone got a piece 
of juicy meat and roasted it, holding it on a stick over the fire. 

On these occasions the Burdicks, and other American families who followed 
them soon after, were al\va\'s invited, for the generosity and hospitality of the 
Mexicans toward their neighlmrs were unlimited. Whenever one killed a hog or 
beef, he brought a (|uarter as a gift and hung it up in the cooler. And if they 
wanted to borrow a wagon to go to Los Angeles, it always came back in better 
condition than when they took it. and with something from the city to pay for the 
trouble. If anyone was sick, they always brought delicacies to eat and were ready 
to help with the work. H' "Tlon Cy." as ]\Ir. Burdick was familiarly called, ren- 
dered one some assistance, or gave some advice in a matter of business, there 
were sacks of grain or slabs of bacon by way of appreciation. Even when small- 
])ox raged and whole families were wiped out. they did not desert each other, but 
there were plenty to care for the sick, ft was doubtless this lack of precaution 
which accounted for the terrible toll wliicli the disease levied upon the Mexicans. 
And it was even worse among the Indians, as will be noticed later. 

But life at the San Jose Plills was not all fiesta and celebration in those days. 
These are the high lights in a picture full of the grey and somber colors of ordinary 
ranch life, when every one was hard at work. .\nd a busy life it certainly was, 
wlien everything there was to eat, except perhaps sugar and tea and spices, was 
produced on the ranch, and most of the clothing was made at home. 

This picture of the setting in which the Burdicks found themselves when thes' 
came to the San Jose wc)uld not be complete without some reference to the Indian^; 
of the \"alle_\'. Under the sycamores and willows beside the stream, just where 
the picnickers now eat their lunches at the tables in Ganesha Park, was an Indian 
"rancheria" or village. Near the Huajc. farther east on the County Road, was 
another, a larger encampment, which remained long after the others had disap- 
peared. Another was situated at the eastern edge of Indian Hill to the north of 
Claremont. and others still at Cucamonga and by the southern hills. 

By this time the Indians were no longer a serious menace to civilization and 
civilized people. They liVed, however, a most lazy, shiftless life, doing very little 
even in the way of hunting, save as thev were alisolutely obliged to. and drinking 
as much as they could get and hold. There were sometimes bad Indians among 
them, iiialditos. as Ramon \'ejar calls them; and sometimes a band of Coahnillas 
or "Piutes" would ride in from the mountains and bring consternation to both the 
\ alley Indians and Alexicans alike. At one time a number of San Antonio Indians 
\vere cam|x-d on the site of Packard's place, called later the Evergreen Ranch. 
gathering the fruit of the cactus pear, or tuna, wdien a liand of "Piutes" swooped 
wn ujion them and killed them all, except one girl about twelve or fourteen years 

who came runni^ig to the \'ejars with an arrow hanging from her neck. At 
another time the Alvarados were sleeping one night in their veranda in the Huerta 
de San Antonio, or \'ineyard of San .Antonio, as the Loop place was called, when 



<IO 

(il. 



lIlSTf )kV AND I'.K )C,K W\\\ \^}^ 

a Coalniilla Indian who had hccii working for tlicni ailackcd lla-ni with an axe. 
'. )ne he struck- on tlie side of tlie liead, severely wonmling hut nm killing,' him. 
Another he killed outright, and then ran away. Of course a party was formed to 
get him. Manuel .Mvarado and others hunted till they found him. and hanged 
him from the limh of a sycamore. While they were preparing to string him up, a 
certain Juan Garcia tried to persuade him to repent and pray for forgiveness, hut 
he pickcil up a rock and smote his solicitous intercessor a sa\ age hlow on tlie side 
of the head. Yes, he was a nialdito. 

-As a rule, however, the Indians of the \'alley were not daiigeroiis: and they 
were availahle for all sorts of ordinary lahor, if not too protracted or strenuous. 
Occasionally a fiesta was watched hy the old-timers with interest, esyiecially for 
the young folks, when the Indians from the tops of their jncalcs. or huts, would 
scatter strings of ])iuones, haskets and hits of silver money, which the children 
scampered to i)ick up as souvenirs. Kor fine minded to see it, these Indian ranch- 
erias. with their crude jacalcs, their homc-ma<le jiots, baskets and rugs, their open 
campfire, their meager nondescrij)t clothing barely covering the dark-hued bodies, 
and all the other features of a semi-barbaric life, furnished a certain picturesfjue- 
ness to the scene which is now forever gone. 

THE FIRST SCHOOL AND ITS 'I KACHKR. P. C. TONNKR 

.\fter the Hurdicks had settled on their ranch by the San Jose Hills, the 
(luestion of how their children were to be educated became a serious one. Their 
four children, e.xcein jjerhajjs the youngest, were of school age, and there was n^i 
school in the X'alley. .\t San Gabriel there had been schools, and there had been 
the Mission fathers, too, who were good instructors. Upon inquiry they found 
others wrestling willi the same jiroblem. .At Spadra there was a considerable 
number of children in the Fryer. Phillips, Rubottom, and .\rnett families, and 
no .school ; and in ail the haciendas about them were the children of the Palomares, 
.Mvarado, \'ejar, anrl Garcia families. So Mr. P.urdick advised with the school 
trustees and with the teachers whom he had known well in San (.abriel — the 
Hoyts, and the Loops, and Frank P>urns — and a school district was organized, 
called the Palomares district, with FVancisco Palomares, Cyrus P.urdick and Juan 
Garcia for its first board of trustees. .A man by the name of F'skridge was chosen 
for the first teacher and the school was held for a time in the large room of the 
.Mvarado lionse. Then a plain wooden schoolhouse was built by some sycamor.- 
trees south of the .Mvarado house, much of the labor of construction being tloue 
by the trustees themselves, who drove to San P.crnardino for the lumber. It was 
made of rough boanls and cost about eighty dollars. .\s the school became 
crowded a nniiada. or veranda, was built around it. covered with vines, and the 
roof thatched with palm leaves, for protection from the heat. The first teacher 
did not jirove very successful, partly because he knew very little Sjianish : ami the 
second, a Mr. McFadden, stayed but a short lime on account of liis health, so Mr. 
P.urdick went to Los .\ngelcs to find another. There he learned of a young man 
who seemed to 1)c well inialifie<l for the place. In fact, his training and (lualifi- 
cations were far beyond the ref|uirements of the little di.strict school on the ranch. 
For he liad been educated for the priesthood in the Catholic Church and cmil 1 
s))eak Latin and Greek, as well as S|)anisli and other modern languages. The 
voiuig pedagogue with the Irisli brogue and shock of red hair was P. C. Tonner. 
a man who was to be fur twenty years the most striking character in the new 



1U4 UISTURV AXIJ lUuGRAi'ilV 

town of Pomona. He was looking for a position as teacher of Greek, but as 
such positions were not very numerous in the far west he was glad to come to the 
I'aloniares district. The children were of all ages and grades, from three-year-old 
infants, whom he sometimes carried to school, to big, strapping fellows of twenty 
t)r more. Some classes were held in the raniada, and Laura Burdick, oldest 
daughter df the trustee, assisted with the little children. Evening classes were held 
for a time, in which the rudiments of the S])anish language were tauglit. 

Patrick Tminer was an original teacher, as indeed he was original in every- 
thing else, lie taught the children much in his own way, and entertained them 
more, for he was fond of reading and could repeat from his well-stored memorv 
])oems and (jvations without end. But the responsibilities of his office rested 
lightly on his shoulders, and the hu'c nf the out-of-doors, in this w'onderful new 
country, was very attractive. And more than this, the wine of the tippler was in 
his veins, sn ihat "1 shduld" was ln^t in "I wouUl." Alore than once Mr. liurdick, 
plowing ill his (irchard in the morning, saw Tonncr go by, gun in hand, on his 
way fi'om llie school to the hills. "Where are \'ou going?" Mr. Burdick would 
say. "doing to hunt hares," might be his reply. ( )r, again, he might find the 
schoolmaster fast asleep in a furrow of the field, and have to trundle him home in 
a w heelbannw to sober off. And the next day he miglit recite im)iressively to 
his school I'oe's "Raven" — Quoth the raven, 'Ncz'cr>norc.' " This, by the wav, 
was his favorite recitation at the Good Temi)lars' Lodge, which later he liked to 
attend, v^o. in his wa\- he taught the three R's, and s])ared not the rod, as Cbileno 
and Juan dc 1 )ios and others may recall. 

W iih the growth of Spadra the children from that section outnumbered those 
of the settlement at the San Jose Llills, and as they had much farther to go to 
school, it was decided to move the schoolhouse nearer to the village of Spadra. So 
it was moved to a ])oint on the County Road some distance east of the Phillips 
house, "in the swag on the bank of a blind wash from San Antonio," as one recalls 
it, and here it was remodeled and enlarged. Then came the division of the district, 
and the little percgrin.ating schoolhouse was moved once more, this time to a ])oint 
still farther east on the road, by the road crossing next west of the railwav crossing. 
Here il stood until long after the new schoolhouse at Spadra had been built and 
occu|)ied. This latter event was in the sunniier of ISj'i, the school opening in 
Septeiuber folhnving the dedication, wliich was celebr.-ited with a big ball. 

The story of the schools in Pomona, following the division of the school di.^- 
trict and the beginning of the town, is narrated later. When the building was 
moved to Spadra the teacher, Mr. Tonner, gave up his teaching for the study and 
practice of law, and more inmiediatel\' for the business of real estate. 

P. C. Tonncr was born in Iri-I.and. b'rom generations of ancestry in the 
Emerald Isle he inherite 1 the keen ])erccption and readv wit, the facile tongue, 
the retentive memory and the powerful intellect so characteristic of his people, lie 
was bronglit to .Xmrrica as a bov and was ]ilaced in a Roman Catholic school at 
Pbiladi-lphia. When the Civil War broke out he ran away from school and 
enlisted in the Federal Army. One or two others followed him, and the bishop, 
at the head of the school, set out to find them and bring them back. It was not 
an easy task, but he lound them at last, and deiu;inded their release. The officer 
refused to lei them go; the arnn- needed men, es])ecialh- eager and husky young 
fellows like these: once in, they could not be relie\ed. lUit the bishop insisted that 
they were under tlie lawful age and were bound to the parochial school. So the 
bovs were discharged and returned to school, .\fter this, as Tonner himself used 



11ISI'< 'RN' AM) IIKK.RAI'IIV 105 

to say. lie was a hard case to hantUe. and at length lie ran away aj^ain. tlii> time 
making his way to California. .Arriving first at San Francisco, he learned of a 
position wliich was open at the college in Monterey, where a teacher nf Greek wa> 
wanted. Now Patrick was still a goo<l Catholic, and he had received at the 
parochial school a large part of the training for the priesllioo<l. \\ ith all hi- way- 
wardness he had acquired a good education and was, of course, well schooled in 
the classics. Hut when he appeared at Monterey to apply for the position tli( y 
did not want him hecause of his youth. "We want a man, not a hoy," they >aiil. 
"I thought you wanted someone to teach Greek." said Tonncr. "Is it a man ynu 
want, or an instructor of Greek?" "Do you know Greek?" they asked. "Tr\ 
me," he replied. So they tried him, and forthwith engaged him for the i>lace. 
The work was quite to his taste and he was well cqnijjpcd for it : nor was he 
averse to following the calling for which he had heen chosen. But the relations 
with his colleagues were not agreeahle. In course of time he was ohliged to 
discipline an unruly student, administering a severe flogging. This was the hegin- 
ning of the end of his work in the college, and in the churcii, for the boy began to 
make trouble for him. reporting that his teaching was heretical. He was sum- 
moned before the authorities and (|UCStioned as to these reports. Asked if he had 
been teaching thus and so, he did not deny it. "Yes," he said, "that is what I 
think and believe to be true." "Well." they said, "you must not teach such doc- 
trines here." "Do you mean to say that I may not speak as I believe.'" was 
Tonner's fierce demand, voicing the world-old cry of self-assertion and iii(lei)eii<l- 
ence of thought against authority. "Xo, you may not." was the re])ly. "Then I 
will never wear tlie.se vestments again." said Tonner. as he jiulled otT his )iriestl.v 
robe an<l tore it in two. So a 1)rilliaiit intellect and powerful influence were lost 
to the church, and the man from his best estate. Turning from the life of a 
student and priest, he plunged into the ways of self-indulgence and masterful gain. 
Drinking freely, lie for.ged the chains by which he was to be enthralled ami from 
which he could never escape. For a lime after leaving Monterey he taught at l.o'^ 
Nietos, and then, dismissed perhaps because of his habits, he was engaged to teach 
in the Palomares district, as has been narrated. The bitterness of Tonner's feeling 
toward the priests of the Catholic Church is expressed in his 

Links Wkittkn for a Tili- of tiiu S.\.\ G.\i:kii:l Ciukcii 

Thou vtsliRo of an ancient race. 

Caught from a crumbling shrine. 
You recall the days when the monk's dark face 

Hent o'er his .sacred wine. 
You recall the days when the Mission plain 

Was willow and oak and ash. 
E'er tlic Si-1)ag-n;i' hy the friar Camlior' 

Was converted hy lasso and leash; 
You recall tlic days when the River Temhior' 

W'as a fair and lovely scene. 
Where the jjeaceful Indian dwelt content 

Beneath its larches green. 
E'er the l)i"ot priests from cruel Spain. 

Salvation < n their lins. 
Converted to Christ the Indian race 

With hloodhnunds and with whips. 



1. Si-twB-na. name of the Tmli.tn trit>c Itvintf :i' - ''. 

2. Camlmr. for Camlion. one nf tlic two Fran wlio came to ciLililikh tli' Mi>-i .n. 

3. Tlic San Catiricl was callc.l /:/ Rin ,1c los >■ cause of llir frer|iicnl c.irllii|ii.nk - pvi.rrf- 
ence<I \\y those wlio lived near tlie r vrr. 



10(1 HIST()R^■ AM) I'.IUGRAPHV 

'I'his condemnation of the priest agrees with the arraignment by Hugo Reid, 
tile Scotchman who married an Indian woman and lived with the Indians near 
San Gabriel, and he is regarded as an authority in many respects on the Indians 
of the \ alley. Except for this opinion of Reid and a few others, we should regard 
this attitude of Tonner as evidently prejudiced and entirely without foundation. 
How small the ground was for such a judgment of the methods of the Mission 
faih.ers with the Indians may be seen from the brief account of tlie Alissions, 
especially that of San Gabriel, given in an earlier chapter. 

However severe his denunciation of others, there were times when Air. 
Tonner was rjuite as bitter in self-condemnation. This was a side of his character 
wliich was little known, of course, save by his most intimate friends. Yet our 
estimate of the man. as we read of his strange conduct and most rei)rehensible 
acts, may be moditied somewhat by the glimpses we get of a kindlier nature from 
some of his verses which have never been published hitherto. These finer traits, 
we may be sure, were known and appreciated by the young woman whom he 
married, in spite of all his faults, and who sta_\ed l)y hini to the end — a woman of 
the finest character, as everyone agrees. From a poem written probably Ijefore his 
marriage, entitled "Penitence," these lines are significant : 

But now for lack of sclf-conlrol 
I've lost the idol of my s&til 

For man-debasing wine, 
.And fiercely on myself I turn. 

And rack my soul with pain. 
I've lost thy love — I know it well ; 
1 fell from He.aven to deepest hell; 

It liurns .and racks my Iirain. 

.\nd there is his '\ alentine to Ro.xy, .\etat Foiu"" : 
I know a maiden fair, 

She's my love. 
In ringlets h.mgs her liair, 

She's my love. 
She's as sweet as sweet can be, 
Nothing fairer can you see. 
And she's .all the world t" nu. 

Is my love. 

I Two Other verses.) 

Now I'll to you confess 

( Site's my love, 
.And I'll never love her less. 

She's my love). 
That this charming little queen 
Scarcely has foiu' summers seen — 
It is my baby that I mean 

P.y "my love." 

^^'llatever may be said of the quality of Tonner's verse, one cannot but svni- 
patliize with its sentiment in such a gem as this. It was a vehicle which he was 
fund (if u--inL; whenever moved by any emotion, whether worthv or tniworth\". It 
might be a humorous caricature of sonic neighbor, or a memorial ode. It might 
be a s;itirical attack on an opponent, like his "(*)1<1 Xick a,gainst Loud," wdien he 
was attorney for Dr. Nichols in the great land case which he won against H. M. 
r.oud : or it might l)e a stirring patriotic call, like the "Sinking of the Maine." 
When the conflict was (in, years l,-i(er. Ijetween the li(|uor interests and their 
opponents, and men were sharply divided into two hostile camps, Tonner himself 
ajiiK-ared to be divided, openly marshaling the forces in favor of the saloons, yet 



1UST( )kV AND i;i< M.K \ni\' 10/ 

piil)lisliing llic i)<>cin, "( > \\ iiic, Wind 'I'liou Must Si.-<liiciivc Curse of 1 Iiimaiiily, " 
whicli ci|iials the nmst imi)a.s>iiincd invectives of John 1!. (loiigli in ihe fierceness 
of its condeninatinii of the h<|iinr tratlic, anil calls upon the voters ni I'oniona to 
drive it away. Was this hypocritical? Xo; it is (|uite possihle that the i)oeiii may 
have heen written while under the intluence of li(|unr, as si>nie of his hesl jeyal 
work was done in that comlition, and he was fond of reciting and wrilin;; at such 
times. r>ut it is just as likely that it may have heen written in a moment of sin- 
cere revolt against the domination of the evil over himself. Those who saw tlie 
man staggering along the street or lying in the gutter, or wiio knew of his un- 
worthy acts and plans, were usually ignorant of this personal struggle for mastery 
anil .self-control, and some would douUless be incredulous of it yet. Not onlv to 
himself and to his wife were pledges given for reform, but to intimate friends a< 
well. One day. after the saloons had been abolished and only one or two "blind 
pigs" remained, a man with whom he had an important business engagement 

failed to find him at his office and was told that he was possibly at the 

Hotel. Xot being a citizen of the town, he succeeded, after much persuasion, in 
inducing the proprietor to lead him to the bar. Through dark [passageways, 
and through doors which were unlocked and locked again, they came to the bar, 
where the keeper was handing Tonner a glass of whiskey, '"llave a drink." said 
he, and urgently insisted. "Xo," said his friend, "you know I don't drink, and 
you don't want me to. .\nd you don't want to, either. Come, now, let us attend 
to that business." ".Ml right," said Tonner, overturning the .glass, "come on, little 
"un." r.nt there was a struggle later in the carriage when Tonner tried to recover 
a bottle which his friend had abducted from a side pocket. Vet he was not often 
dangerous in his cnjjs. More often he might be seen standing by the counter, 
holding in one hand a full glass of wine, while for ten minutes at a time he 
declaimed, repeating from memory the great sjieeches of modern or classic orators, 
or perhaps some rhymes of his own, gesticulating with the free hand or with his 
glass, yet never tasting it until fully ready. 

One might fill a volume with incidents, amusing and otherwise, of ihis remark- 
able character. One evening he wandered into a Guild social of the ]'!])isco])al 
Church, saying, "I like the 'I'iscopalians- — (hie) — they don't meddle with politics 
nor r'ligion.'' At another time, before the saloons had been closed. Consialile 
Slanker. who had so often taken him home to sober off, saw him coming out of a 
saloon early in the morning after a night of drinking and poker ( for he could 
drink long without becoming helpless I, and said to him, "Tonner, aren't you ever 
going to (|uit?" His reply was, "I'll bet you a five-dollar hat you'll be seen in this 
saloon before I am." "Done." said Slankcr. and from that time on Tonner was 
sober for a whole year, so it is claimed. Then the constable saw him again coming 
out of the same saloon, and began to take him to task; at which Tonner said, 
"Vou old fool, don't you ever forget? Come on over here:" and ;it the store 
across the street he said, "Give this man the best five-dollar hat in the store." 

Me conceived, and carried out for a time, the most audacious and far-reaching 
swindle on his fellow citizens, yet he was often good-hearted and generous, ready, 
if in the right mood, to assist in all sorts of benefits. lie was esiiecially active in 
canvassing subscriptions for the Catholic Church when it was built. In his cho-en 
profession he soon became an auihority. Lawyers and law students today, reading 
his arguments in former cases, are struck with the clearness of his reasoning and. 
the extent and soundness of his legal knowledge. 



108 HISTORY A.\D l!l( )GRArilV 

\'(iung men who studied law with him — and a number who have taken high 
rank in the profession were thus associated with him — testify not only to his 
keenness Inil to the value of his instruction and partnership. More is said later of 
iiis real estate operations and of his connection with important movements in town. 

In concluding this brief character sketch, and before considering the begin- 
nings of I'oniona, it is appropriate to introduce some verses from a poem written 
l)y 1'. C. Tonner, on the occasion of a visit to the San Jose Hills, perhaps in 1869, 
and certainly before there was any Pomona, any churches or stores or orange 
groves. ( )f the twenty-one verses composing the poem, the six pertaining 
especiall}' to San JiJse are selected for reproduction here: 

Sweet San Jose 

I'lUt fairer yet shall bloom our lit'lds, 

And grander orchards grow, 
And sweeter music than the birds 

These pleasant vales shall know. 
For Science here shall rear her seats, 

And. versed in arts of peace, 
Our public schools shall emulate 

1 lie shrines of ancient tirecce. 

But San Jose, sweet San Jose, 

Thou mi: untain valley fair. 
Begirt by h.alf a hundred hills, 

Enthroneil 'mid beauty rare. 
Shall see thy towering domes arise 

Where Phillips herds his sheep. 
And orange orchards yet shall stand 

Where Vcjar's nuistangs sweep. 

The flocks of Paloniares 

Must seek some distaiu land. 
His hog-trod rich cienegas 

The s"olden wheat shall vield. 
.\ni] all those plorious uplands. 

Where rabbits burrow now, 
Sha!' t'lrill be'ieatb the '^axon's trod, 

Behind a Yankee plow. 

The Indian for a thousand ye.-'rs 

That lovelv vale possessed, 
Tlie Snaniard for a century 

The native race opnrcssed. 
But now the blne-eved Saxon 

From o'er the distant main 
^^'it'^ steadv steo i"s drivin" back 

The dark-eyed race of Spain. 

I see a thnns'uid vinevards. 

All o'er that lovely plain : 
I see the fair-haired Saxon 

Where dwelt the sons of Spain. 
T hear the laboring euQine. 

Where once c.'irrefa'; crawled; 
T hear the snns's of children 

Where Spanish oxen. Iiawded. 

1 see the lovely cotta.ffc 

Where ranclicria stood. 
T henr our country's music 

From out the distant wood. 
.\nd where base superstition 

W.-s once the '"'oph-'s fuide, 
I see •iri'^e the pnbbc school — 

The freeman's he pe and pride. 



iiiS'i'okv AM) i;i( ic.kAi'iiv \o) 

• Tin: i.ooi' AM) mp:si:rvf." and othkr kari.^' trac'is ok rtii-: 

SAN JO.SK Di: ARIBA 

l-iarlicr cliajUcrs liavc narrated Imw tlic .S\/)/ J<,isi: dc .Uhiji>. ur lnwir lialf nf 
tlic San Josi' KaticlK>, passfd fr>>ni tlic imssussioii of tlic \ fjar> ami c.inic iiitn ilu- 
hands of Louis I'liilliio. and a few lunidrcd acres were si'lil liy liiin \<< ilic larliir 
settlers of S])adra ])revioiis to 1870: but in the San Jt>si- dc .Iribii, or u])])lt half 
(which is also the northern ])art ). there was ])ractically no transfer of iircijierty 
until toward the end of the year 1S73, except as a few of the honiesieads, lon^; 
occujjied by friends and relatives of the first grantees, were fornially deeded to 
heads of families then holdinjj them. The land remained for the mi>sl |>art lej^ally 
in |)osscssion «.)f ^'gnacio I'alomares, and then as the undivided estate of his wife. 
Concei)cion. and the children. .\s before stated, most of these familiis ha<l occu- 
pied their places for years without formal title, and some continued to do so fur 
vears later, iiefore the death of N'gnacio I'alomares. in 1K64. deeds had been 
given to Mariano .Mvarado in IS.'S for 22') acres: to Josefa I'alomares de .\renas 
in IS.^8 for seventeen and a half acres by the Iluaje: to Satiiriiino Carrion in ISfiJ 
for their ])lace south of !,a \ erne ; to Jose Maria X'aldez in 18f'3 for a generous 
home place: and to \'gnacio .Mvarado in May. 1864, for their home place. 
During the ten years following the death of Vgnacio I'alomares other lots of 
various size, from two or three acres to 200 acres, were deedeil by his wife. 
Concepcion. or by her son and attorney. Francisco, to friends and relatives.— the 
Lopez place of fifty acres to Jose Lojjcz : the Tomas I'alomares |)lace of eighty- 
eight acres north of the hills, and the 188 acres to Francisco I'alomares northeast 
of the hills: the large estates on the I.ordsburg Roacl to Josefa I'alomares de \'orba 
and to Teresa Talomares de \'ejar, and later still the 600-acre tract to Concepcion 
I'alomares de Soto. 

In December. 1868, David L. Hall of San Gabriel bought, or began the i)ur- 
cliase of. 1.720 acres in the northeast section of the rancho, which he called Hall's 
Selection and subdivided into forty-acre lots for sale: but only two sales were 
made, five lots to one purchaser and one to the other, l-'ive years later the whole 
property reverted to Conce])cion I'alomares on the failure of Hall to ciiiiii)!ele 
his |)urchase. I'>ut a year later — that is. in Xovember. 1874 — the "Loop and 
Meserve Tract" of nearly 2.000 acres, comprising a large part of "Hall's .s^^Icc- 
tion" and much more to the east, was sold to C. I". Loop and A. R. Me>erve for 
SKi.OOO. This consiilerable tract included most of the land lying imw between 
the towns of Pomona and Clareinont and much of Xorth Pomona, north of the 
La X'erne Road, between La \'erne ati<l Claremont. On the C'aiiiino Rati dc Son 
Bernardino, ami within the tract, which it crossed, was the ,'^an .\ntonio vineyard 
anfl house mentioned in the will of "\'gnacio Palomarcs. and the old adobe i-i 
which he lived so long and ke|)t the tavern where the overland stages slopjied. 
.Also within its confines, but not included in the fleed, was the old cemetery. When 
the old Palomares house was built and the vineyard of San .\ntonio i)lanlef!. a 
ditch was dug and the water led all the way from the canyon to the n|)per cirner 
of the place, and thence in a flume to the house. Only a fraction of the water, 
tlowing so far over gravelly soil in an o|>en ditch whose banks were overgrown 
with weeds, reached the end of the ditch, and sometimes, in the summer time, 
none at all, except at night. I'ut the rleed of the tract conveyed also this ditch 
and the valuable water right to half the water of San .Antonio Canyon, a claim 
resting upon the implied |)rovision of the Spanish land grant. In 1870 the Palo- 



110 lllSTfjKN AXl) I'.i; ;C,RAI'II\' 

marcs ami others interested had sought and seciu-ed from the courts judgment 
f<ir damages against ])arties wlio had heen diverting water from the ditch; also a 
perpelual injunctiim estahlishing their claim t(i the walcr. 

( )f the two ])urchasers of the J^oop and Aleserve Tract, Alvin R. Meserve 
had come to Califorriia from Maine in 1852, when nineteen years old, and had 
heen cngage<l in husiness in Sacramento and Sanla Cruz for o\'er twenty years 
hefore he came to -the \ .alley. 1 lerc for twenty years more he was to comhine 
husiness with horticulture until, in IS'u, he Ijecame Horticultural Commissioner 
and moyed to Los Angeles. Two of his sons were to foll"\v in his steps as horti- 
culturists, Harry \\ . in Imperial County, and Elmore as Park Commi>sioner in 
Los Angeles. The second son, E. A. Meserve, was to he a successful and 
respected attorney in Los Angeles: and his daughter, liessie, the wife of the attor- 
ney, C. E. Sumner, who hefore his removal to Los Angeles played an important 
part in the buililing of I'nmona. as will be seen. 

The Reverend Charles F. Lou]) came to California in 1863 as a missionary 
(if the Episcopal r)oard of Xew York. Though best known in Southern California 
for his horticultural pursuits, his early life was s])ent in active religious work. .\ 
graduate in theology of .St. I'aul's College at Palmyra, Mn., and ordained a min- 
ister in the Episcopal Church, he was for some years from 1837 rector of Christ 
Church in St. Loui^. h'or a slmrt time before coming to California he served the 
church in mission.ary work in Missouri and Illinois. lie had entered upon his 
ministry rather late, being twenty-eight years old when he entered college. This 
was due to his having gained his academic training while at home on a farm, and 
then having spent some years in teaching in order to earn money to carry on his 
professional study. I lis first missionary field in California was in the neighbor- 
hood of vSanta Cruz, where he organized the Episcopal Cluu-cb. It was here that 
die ac(|uaintance with Air. Meserve began wdiich was to result in their association 
together in the development of the "Loop and Aleserve Tract" of Pomona. The 
earnestness and energy with Avhich ]\Ir. Loop conducted his work led to his being 
sent to Los Angeles to establish churches and to foster the interests of the 
Episcopal denomination in the South. Coming to Los .\ngeles in 1868, he 
organized the Church of St. Paul, and directed its affairs for over a year, at the 
same time I)eginuing that e.xtensive campaign over the whole field of SoiUhern Cal- 
ifornia wliich, continuing for over twenty years, was to result in other churches 
at Pomona. ( )ntario. Riverside, San Bernardino and a number of smaller ])laces. 
To his ministr}- in the church Mr. Loop had lirought not only a religious zeal ami 
good scholarship, but an .aesthetic sen-^e ami love of art which were to enrich both 
his church and his home town. In all this he was most heartily supported by his 
wite, and indeed it was ])robably true that in all these ou.alities. as well as in thrift 
and sagacity, she w;is r\en more strongly ei|uipi)ed than be. Porn of good families 
in Xew York', the father of Mrs. Sophia ( Loomis ) Loop was Thomas Loomis, 
.and her mother a Deferriere. For a lime before coming to Pomona they lived at 
San Cabriel. and there Mrs. Loop became well known and loved as a te.acher. 
Here in the little community by the Mission liegan the friendship between the 
P.urdicks and Loo|)s which continued throughout their lives, as they became ])rom- 
inent in the new town of Pomona. 

Soon after coming to Los Angeles the Loops bought Idd acres of land east 
of San Gabriel and began to plant it in vineyard and orchard. So began their 
active interest in agriculture while still engaged, both of them, in their other work. 




o 

X 






HISTORY AND I'.loC.KAl'in' 111 

I)()iil)tlcs> ii was a rcviv.'il, ralluT than a hci^iiiniiij^. nt a iialiiral insliiict, 
lor -Mr. Loiij) was liorii and rcarccl on a farm. His fallicr. David l.iic>i>. liad bc-c-ii 
a fanner as well as a pliysician in St. Lawrence County, X. \'.. wiure Charles 
I.oop himself was horn in \H2^. It was prohahly this fondness for hi irlicullure 
more than the pursuit of wealth that led him in 1874 to purchase with Mr. .Me^crvc 
tile i.CKXJ-acre tract of land in the San Jose X'alley. 

When they came to the X'alley to live, the .Mcserves look and Mccupied i!ie 
old Palomares adohc. a Iniilding which, with some modifications, served them well 
as a home till after their children had married and moved away: and liu' old 
hr>use is still known hest as the "Meservc place." The Loops chose for tiiei'' 
home the site of the old adohe farllier east, hy the "Vineyard of San .\ntonio," 
hnildinjj soon, however, a larger house in which to live, ami this remained their 
liitnie until, in ISSJ, the ranch was sold to the Land and Water Company. Late 
the Loops houj^ht the Mueller i>Iace in I 'omona an<l moved there to live. 

Never was there a i,'realer transformation than that which came over \\v: 
fields of the Loop and Meserve Tract under their enthusiastic <lirectioii. ( )nly .-i 
few olive trees, a small orchard of seedling oran<;cs and a slitjhtly larijer vineyard 
of Mission grapes remained from the Mexican occupation. Xow a large acreage 
was Set out with vines, not only of wine grapes but many kinds of table and raisin 
grapes, with oranges and lemons of difTerent varieties, and with all sorts of deciil- 
iloiis fruits. Searching the ranches of the South and levying upon the experi- 
mental stations of the Department of .\griculture, they soon had a nurserv whic!i 
was at once the marvel of the region for its rare variety, and the main source of 
supply as orchards were being ])lanted in the new tracts around Pomona. 
Conducting their experiments in fruit growing on a large scale, with intelligence 
as well as industry, they became leaders in the great horticultural interests so 
rapiilly developing in the X'alley. The olive industry was especial! v introihiced 
and established by them. Twice Mr. Loop went to Europe and studied the viticul- 
ture and olive growing of Spain, Italy and other Mediterranean countries, bringing 
home inany choice varieties and new knowledge and ins|)iration. .\nd when laier 
he encouraged the Howlands in their production of oli\c oil, which at one time 
led the slate in (|uality and volume, he brought from Italy skilled workmen lo 
introduce their expert knowledge of the manufacture of oil from the olive, am! 
of the growing of trees from cuttings. Not only in tlie sale of thousands of 
young trees from llieir nursery, but by instruction in private and public, bv pub- 
lished papers and by assisting in tlie organization of growers, both Mr. I.oop and 
Mr. Meserve were i>ioneers of large influence in estalilishing the fruit growing 
which has l)ecomc tlie chief industry of the Southwest. 

I')Ut all this anticijiates by many years the chronological sequence of our >torv. 
b'or it was not long after the Loops and Mescrves came to the \"a!!ey that tlie 
town of Pomona was begun, and this storv must now lie tobl. 



CHAP'IKR F1\'K 
BK(.I.\M.\(.S Ol I'OMUNA 

COMINT, (il- TIIK l\.\ILKi'.\l> — 'r(INNi:K-l'>ri<l)RK-I'.\U<l-MAKi:s Ci iN TK.M I > - I .m ~ 

An"(u:i.i:s Immk.kaiion and 1,a.\i) Ci'oiT-kAiivi: AssociATKiN — Tin: .\"i:\v 
Town m- I'kmona — I'lulic Schohl — Chllai'SK m- riii- I.. A. I. ank I.. C A 

I'oMd.VA l.A.N'l) AM) W ATKK Cd.Ml'ANV '1' 1 1 IC IldliM — I'dMliN \ IN IS'SJ \\lj 

l€SS5 — CiNSTAr.uK Si.anki:k and ()tiii;k ( )i.d-Timi;ks. 

Il was tliirly-livc years or more alter the j^raiitces of tlie San lose Ivaiiclm 
came to tlic \ alley to live before tliere were any indications of a conimuniiy on llie 
site of roniona. In 1S7J Kewen Dorsey was still raisinjj 5,'rain there for hnni-- 
Phillips and Antonio iV^rez was teiidinj,' his cattle as they j^razed over the plain-. 

As usual the fir>t impulse toward the building of a town was tjiven by the 
pros[)ect of a railroad crossing llie X'alley. The story <if the coming of the rail- 
road here is naturally a part of the railroad story of the State. Tiii> has been so 
fully told elsewhere that it need not be recounted here. .\ very gooil resume 
of the early history of the railroads of Southern California was ])rinted in tlv.- 
Pomona l'ro(/rcss of January 0, 1887. The introiluctory paragra])h of this article 
reads as follows: "The history of the construction of the railroads in Los .\u- 
geles forms one of the most interesting clia])ters in the annals of the county. It 
illustrates how by determination and a little forethought, a few active mind- 
overcame the many diflicullies jealousy, selfishness and ignorance th'ew in their 
path and is another * '■'- * instance * * ' where the spirit of ])rogress and im 
l)rovemenl triumphed over every obstacle." 

The first movement had been the agitation for a railroad between l.os An- 
geles ;ind San I'cdro. This was led by I'luncas llanning, that prince of trans- 
portation whose freight wagons had long been running out from l.os .\ngeles to 
San I'rancisco. tc) ^'nma and .Arizona, and whose steamers were also i)lying iu 
and out of l.os .\ngeles Harbor, 'i'his agitation i)egan in IWd with a bill intro- 
duced in the State Senate authorizing the sn])ervisors of l.os Angeles County to 
subscribe S150.rK)0 toward the construction of a railroad between l.os Angeles and 
San I'edro. and cnlminateil at length after much o]iposition in the campaign of 
1868, when an election, called by the su|)ervisors on the petition of ex-Ciovernor 
Downey, Dr. J. S. GrilTin and John King, as directors of the "l.os .\ngeles and 
San i\'(lro Railway" to authorize $l.sO.r)O0 bonds for capital stock, and a similar 
election in the city, resulted in a combined vote of 700 for the measure ami (i72 
against it. This road was completed in < )ctober. 18<)''. On .\pril 4. 1870. the State 
Legislature ])assed the "Five Per Cent. Subsidy .\ct," authorizing counties of the 
State, through their boards of sujiervisors. to aid in the construction of railroails. 
"Then," says the historian of the f'royrcss. "arose another mono|)oly howl which 
waxed so loud that no jjolitician in either party dared keep silent." A des])erate 
fight was made to repeal the act of 1870, but it failed through the vigorous o|)|)o- 
sition of P.enito Wilson in the Senate. .\sa Ellis in the .Assembly, and others. 
"Had it not been for their timely efforts the grand jirosperity which now causes 

6 



114 HISTORY AND llloCRArilV 

■tile w il(k'riu-ss tn rcjnice and hlussum as liic I'dsc' wcjiilcl lia\e been i-leferrcJ for 
many years." 

Could the ])Ci)ple in 1870 have looked forward thirty or forty years and fore- 
seen the conii)lete domination of the bnsiness and politics of the State by the 
Soul hern Pacific and the tremendous struggle which issued to overthrow its 
]iower. doubtless the opponents of tlu- railroad woiild have been delighted and 
their cause jierhaps triumphant. I'.nt the opposition to the railway was not all a 
single-eyed contest against monopoly. There was not a little of selfish interest and 
of conflicting schemes as well as ignorance and superstition, as there always is 
in the inlroduclion of modern invention and organization. The struggle for the 
railroads was in its day essentiall)' a progressive movement, notwithstanding the 
selfish designs of some of its leaders and the evils of political control which fo!- 
loweil. Thai tlie railroad has been indis]]en>a1ik' to the development of the country 
few will (|ueslion, even though the courage and wisdom of the people and their 
representatives have not always been adef|uate to control its political power. 

.Aided li\- the Five Per Cent. Subsidy Act, the Southern Pacific had incor- 
])orated and was building its road through the ."s.ni Jiiai|uin \'alley when the people 
of Southern California l)egan to realize that it was a \ital (|uestion whether the 
road wduld touch Los Angeles or would follnw an easier and more direct course 
to tlie h'.ast. r.y the way of Los Angeles the road would lead over Soledad Pass 
b\- hea\\- grades and thrciugh long tunnels, and the financial ])roblems would be 
eqnalh- difiicnlt. The other way, over the plains to Needles, was smooth going. 
Then began the campaign of 1872, so all-absorl)ing and intense that even tlv: 
presidential contest between Grant and Greeley was forgotten. A mass meeting 
was held in May at which resolutions were passed urging the construction of the 
ro;id li\' wav of Los Angeles and ])romisiug every possilile assistance. A com- 
mittee of thirtv was appointed which, after conference with the Govern.or, Colonel 
Leland Stanford, prepared an ordinance for submission to the voters of the 
couut\', b\- which the countv should clevote the proceeds of bonds amounting to 
five per cent, of the property valuation, including the $1,^0,000 raised for the I,os 
Angeles and San Pedro Railway and its holdings, "in aid of and for and in con- 
siileration of the construction of a railroad within its l)orders," stipulating that 
the Southern Pacific should build fifty miles of main tr\nik line through the 
count\- and cilv of Los .\ngeles, should construct connections with .Vnahcim and 
with the railroads of the county; the overland route to be from San Francisci 
through the city of Los Angeles and east through the San Bernardino Vallev to 
the Color.-ido River at or near Fort Yuma. The committee of thirty was composed 
of the most protninent citizens of the city and county, and included Henry Dalton 
of .\zusa. I'.. I). Wilson, I^. J. Rose, George Stonemau and J. de Earth Shorb of 
San Gabriel, Silas Pennett and 1". W. Gibson of El Monte, John Reed of Puente, 
and I'Vancisco Palomares and Louis Phillips of the San Jose. 

Again there was much opposition and the campaign was even more spirited 
than that of 1868, but the ordinance was carried in the election of November 5, 
1872. by a vote of 1,896 to 724. So the Southern Pacific came to Los Angeles. 
The first train to run from Los Angeles to S|)adra was on Ai)ril 4, 1874, when 
also the first train ran to San Fernando. 

( )n July 10, 1873, the Southern Pacific secured of Louis Phillips a contract 
for right <if way across his land, that is, across tlie lower San Jose, 100 feet wide 
and including fifty acres, wherever desired, excepting across the ten acres reserved 
for the cemetery, and that reserved for the Catholic Church. In September the 



IIIS'1"( )KN AND r.l( H'.KAl'lh' 115 

time of tiic contract was cxtcii'k-il to l-'cliniarv 11, 1S"4. With ilic railroad com- 
ing to Spadra and surveyors laying out it> course across the \ alle\- lowanl San 
I'.ernardino. the conditions were fully rii)e for beginning a town. Climate unsur- 
passed, soil fertile and virgin, water available in cienega and canyon, rail connec- 
tion assured with the city and an eastern market promised for produce — wlij't 
more could be desired? ( hily men with determination and capital. The men 
were on the ground. Din-ing the latter part of 1S74 and early in 1S75, Cvru^ 
r.nrdick. the ])ioneer, 1'. C. Tonner. ibe teachcr-lawyer-poet, and Francisco I'alo- 
mares, the owner of the lan<l, obtained joint control of sonte ,^.(X)IJ acres in what 
is now the city of I'omona. Most of this was south of the line dividing tln' 
l'l)l)er anil Lower San Jose ami was secured by contract with Louis I'hillips. who 
had ac(|uired it. as we liave seen, from the mortgagees of Ricardo \ ejar. Some 
was ]>nrcha.-ed outright. .\ part of the land was pooled by the three an<l siibdi 
vided in ten or fortv acre tracts: i.lXJO acres was contracted for liy Tonner alone. 
On the 27th of January, 1S73. an important transaction was effected by which 
I'iUrdick. Tonner and the wife of I'ancho Paloniarcs obtained from Conce|)cion 
I'alomares the right to all water rising and tlowing through the water-bearing 
lauds aromid the base of the San Jose Hills, together with the right to develop 
more water and to maintain necessary ditches and reservoirs, reserving to the 
original owners water sntVicient to irrigate not to exceed ILHJ acres of land, and 
also reserving the waters of a certain spring for I'rancisco Palomares. It was 
the design of the three men to subdiviile the tract into orchard plots and place it 
upon the market, selling water for irrigation with the land; but none of the mei: 
had sufficient cai)ital to finance the enterprise proijerly. 

Jn the meantime there was organized in Los .\ngeles a comitany of men who 
had also seen the i)ossibilities of development in the \'alley. which the railroads 
were unfolding. It was called "The Los .\ngeles Immigration and Land Coojjer- 
ative .Association." ( Men used to say they did not like to do business with them 
because of this interminable designation.) Its articles of incor])oration. dated 
XovemlK-r 17 . 1S74, state that "the object for which it is formcil is to circulate 
information throughout this and other countries regarding Southern California, 
and to ]>romote immigration thereto, to buy and sell real estate on commission, 
and to do anv other business incidental to carrying on a real-estate ofVice." Its 
ca])ital slock was $2.^0.000. half of which was subscribed. The directors were 
J. !•'. McComas of Compton. who became later one of Pomona's most prominen; 
citizens, J. T. Ciordon of .Azusa. T. .A. Carey, the horticulturist of Los .Angeles 
(already nientioneil in the story of LI Monte I. Cieorge C. (".il)l)s of the San 
Gabriel Mission, also Milton Thomas. 11. J. Crow and R. M. Town of Los 
.Vngeles. T. .\. Garey was president of the com|)any and L. M. Holt, mentioned 
as a stockholder, was secretary. The rea<lcr recognizes all the names as thev 
have been iieriietuated in the streets and a\ennes of l'omi>na. Here were men 
with capital looking for investment; on the San Jose Rancho were men with land 
and water looking t'or cajiital. In a few weeks they came together. 

.\. L. Tufts and L. M. Holt tell of a prize offer of a town lot for the best 
name j)roposed and adopted for the town. Solomon Gates, the nurseryman, 
familiar with the I'omona of the Grangers, and aware of the mythological char- 
acter of I'omona. the Goddess of Fruit. ()roposed this name for the new tfiwn and 
won the prize. Mr. Holt also tells of the making of tlic old reservoir at the 
corner of San Antonio ami Holt avenues, ami how it was so full of s(|uirrel aii'l 
goi)her holes that it would not hold water. This was before the days of cement 



11(1 HISTORY AXl) I'.K )(',R.\1'11V 

reservoirs. When Mr. Holt saw their ]ire(licanicnt he went to Louis Phillips, 
ihe rancher, of whom they were purchasing the land, and asked him to lend them 
his sheep. "Take them along." said I'liilliiis. v^o I [olt gave his instructions to the 
horregtierns to drive the sheep into the reservoir every night for two weeks. At 
the end of the time he ordered the water turned in. The tamping of thousands of 
tiny feet had made it as hard as a rock! 

.\fter living in Pomona for a year or two, looking after the affairs of the 
company. .Mr. Ilolt returned to Los Angeles. Two years later he came out to 
see what had hecome of the town and was amazed to find how things had grown. 
He measured the height of a line of eucalyiJtus trees which he had planted and 
found tliem tn be fiftv-six feet high! 

.\moiig other jjrojects in which Mr. Holt was interested, either as secretarv 
of the coiupany nr individually, were the town of .\rtesia (also promoted by the 
Los Angeles Immigration and Land Cooperative Association), use of the Colo- 
rado River in the irrigation of the Imperial \'alley, and the Bear \'alley Dam, 
in ihi' interests of which he went abroad as ex]iert adviser. 

i-",arl\ in April. 1875, a contract was drawn up between the three men, Tonner, 
r.ui-dick and i'al<imares and the land company with the long name, the former 
agrt-eing tn seciu'e to the lan<l company a title from Louis Philli[)s and Palomares 
ti) all the lanil described above and to the water rights which thev had secured 
from Coneejjcion Palomares, except that land fur the raihva\- and its station as 
well as tiiat for the Catholic Church and cemetery was excluded, and water was 
especially reserved for the irrigation of the orchards of Uurdick and Tonner. For 
the w;ifer rights ami for surrendering the land contract held bv the three together 
they were to receive $10,000: the price of the land was set at thirt\-five dollars 
an acre. 

Then follciwed the laying out and "booiuing" of the new town. This wa'^ 
not in tlu' eighties, but in 1875, lon,g before the "liig In mm," but everv feature 
which characterized the openin.g of a new townsite in those frenzied days was 
present. After the land was cleared and graded Mr. A. Higbie, the survex'or. 
laiil out the town and set the stakes. The streets were graded and a number of 
buildings begun. Especially a hotel was erected at the corner of Fifth Street and 
Carey Avenue. About a hundred orange trees were set out north of the railroad 
and a reservoir was constructed. Then apjieared everywhere posters announcing 
an anctiim sale (jf lots in the new town of l^omona. Feljrnarv 22. 1876. Those 
who joined the excursion or accepted an invitation to ride out from the city and 
attend the auction, found a bantl playing in the ]:)ark( ?), streams cif water flowing 
in open ditches down the streets, and zanjeros directing their course, teams wdth 
attentive drivers waiting to show them abrmt, and a dinner at the new hotel. 
Then, alter dinner, caiue the auction sale. And a good manv lots were sold. .\ 
Mr. Reed paid fifty dollars for the lot on which the First National Bank stands 
rmd Joe liridger bought one north of this. The jjh.it included lots of various sizes, 
from twenty-five-foot business lots to ten-acre tracts. The first sale, as was well 
advertised, was one of these ten-acre tracts to Judge J. M. Hamilton, Master of 
the vSlate C)ran,ge of California. The next day the ditches were dry and the water 
wdiich for a day had been diverted from the San Jose Creek was returned to its 
normal channel. .\nd few knew that a dense fog which liad covered the Valley 
all the morning, as with a wet blanket, had just lifted when the excursionists 
drove in, thus saving the day. also the reputation of the ]jromoters, who had adver- 
tised boldly that the place was well above the fog belt. But the sale had been 



11IS1< )K^ AM) l'.l( )(",K Al'in' 117 

a success ami tlie new town was laiinolK-<l. The lirst day's >ale aninnnled to 
S18.000 to 9r'.t)U(). Most of the lots sold at this time have ciian^'eil iiaiid^ many 
times, hut there arc today people in Los An^-eles who are still payinj,' taxes on lots 
which they purchased then at I'omona. 

About \h\< time appeared a little news sheet which has heen called hy some 
"Pomona's first newspaper." i'.ut it was evidently printed in l.os Anjieles rather 
than I'ombna, and was chielly an advertising,' circular. It was entitle! "'i'he New 
Italy." with a sui)-headinj,'. "The fmmigrants True Guide to Homes in Sonthern 
California." In the I'omona Tuhlic Library is a copy of the issue of \ ol. 1. Xo. S. 
dated Los .\ugcles, Cal., .\ugu.st, 1X75. On one side of ihi- <in^de sheet is a ina]) 
of the town of Pomona: on the other side, following the headings an<l ilate lin.', 
is an article heade<l "i'omona — The Xew Town on the Soiuhern Pacific kailroad 
— 'i'hirtv-two .Miles East of Los .\ngeles." Opening with the statement "The Los 
.Angeles Immigration and Land Cooiierative .\ssociation now have at Pomona a 
tract of nearly 6.000 acres. i,.'00 of which is now being put on the market at 
private sale." the locatitm is then exi)laincd and the advantages of the site as a 
commercial center: its scenery and climate are also set forth in glowing coI'MS. 
The years have demonstrated the truth of its claim that ".\s a fruit country 
Pomona cannot be excelled in Southern California: * * ''■' trees growing in the 
immediate vicinity prove the fact bexond a peradveuture." The railroad and the 
water supply are acclaimed and the sale of water stock with the land is i)romi-;e 1. 
F,mj)hasis is placed (not too much i n])on the com])an\ 's "abundant ^ujiply of 
good. i)ure. soft spring water." 

The stockholders of the new conijiauy manifestel their faith in the euler- 
jirisc to the extent of larger or smaller jiurchases of lots in the town site, but ouI\' 
two or three of them built blocks or houses and became identified later with the 
town. T. .\. Carey, a little man of German ])arentage. with unlimited energy and 
enthusiasm, was on the ground much at first, but he had many other iiiteresls 
elsewhere. In fact he was associated with others in the iiicorporatiou of at leas; 
two other towns — .\rtesia and Garey ( in Santa P.arbara County). .\s before 
stated, he was one of the early settlers of EI Monte, l-'rom his nursery in Los 
.\ngeles he sold in one i)crio<I of three years $17.^.000 worth of young orange ami 
lemon trees. Fie was recognized as a leading horticulturist, holding numerous 
important positions, such as overseer of the State Grange and president of the 
coimtv Pomological Society. His Mediterranean Sweet and St. Michael oranges 
and Eureka lemons are known everywhere. Through his zeal a considerable 
number of orchard ]iIots were sold in the 4.000 acres of the "Pomona Tract" 
which was divi<led into forty-acre lots. Put Garey was not reallv a Pomona man. 
C. E. White was. P.orn in Massachusetts near P.oston in IS.W. he had come ti 
California in '4'*. in an eight months' voyage around the Horn, and for thir'y 
years had heen engaged in the nursery business an<l sheep raising until, in 18S0. 
he moved to I'omona. and established himself on 1 lolt .\venue. planting the 
orchard which was long a model in the \alley. Though not one of the incor- 
liorators. he was for some time vice-president of the Los .\ngeles Immigration 
and Cooperative Land .Association. He became a well-known citizen in the 
town, holding important |iositions, and built the White Plock. in which the .\meri- 
can P.ank is housed, at the corner of Second ami Thomas streets. Years after, 
in 1S8''. he superintended the first planting of the Richards orange grove of MJ) 
acres at Ndrth Pomona. .\ brother of .Mr. L. M. Holt, the ^ecretarv of the com- 



118 1I1ST( n<\ AXl) UK )r,i<Al'llV 

pany, was one of the first to build in the new town ami liveil for some years on 
the avenue whicli Ijears their name. 

The other iliredor of the coni|)any who demonstrated his "faith Ijy works" 
was J. E. AicConias, who Ijought a lot for home and orchard as well as several 
business lots, b'ifth v'streel was regarded as the choice residential section. Hctc 
within a year were Iniilt the homes of J. E. McComas and P. C. Tenner. Here 
within a \ear they Ijrought their brides, to begin their married life in the new 
\'alley town. Awl here for some time they lived as neighbors, improving their 
home jjlots an<l working for the development of the town. Senator McComas 
was to be for many years one of Pomona's foremost citizens, and freiinent 
reference is m;ide to him in the snbsei|nent account of the city's progress. -Vn- 
other neighbor (if McComas and Toiuier in the first years was John Scott, llie 
blacksmith, wiiose house was burned earlv in 1S7''. 

The first buildings in the new town site are said to have been the hotel, a store 
and blacksmith shop. The hotel building erected by the land company at the cor- 
ner of Eifth and Carey, was a good, suljstantial wooden building, two stories high, 
and was called the Pomona Hotel. The old villagers of Spadra regarded the new 
town as a joke and spoke of it as "Alonkeytown," but the Spadra merchant, George 
Egan, was enterprising enough to see its possibilities, and moved a part of his 
store building to Pomona, opening up a general merchandise store with his brother 
Tames, at first, in charge. George Egan had come to California in 1864 as a voung 
cavalryman twenty years old, discharged from the Confederate armv on account 
of his health. Two years later he had come to Spadra as a clerk in Charles 
Blake's store near the Phillips place, later sharing the business of "Egan and 
I'lake," and then purchasing it himself as the health of his partner failed. In 
1878 he sold out his business in Spadra and bought the Pomona Hotel : moving 
the building to a more central location at First and Main streets, he enlarged it 
and made numerous improvements, investing all his small capital in the enterprise. 
Within a year it was destroyed by fire and Egan was obliged to start all over 
again. He moved away from Pomona, and for eight years or more was engaged 
in various occupations and ventures to rebuild his fortune. After the boom, in 
which he liad gained some profit in the building of the town of Beaumont, he 
returned, in 1887, to Pomona to live, doing an insurance business and improving 
his fine fruit orchard in the southeast part of town. Gradually other people came 
to the new town, and a rural village began to grow up around the store and .shop, 
with unostentatious little houses and home plots of garden and fruit trees. 

Probably the most important event in Pomona after the opening sale was 
the actual building of the Southern Pacific, whose probable coming had been fore- 
seen for several years, and had warranted the beginning of the town. \\ bile this 
event could not compare in its novelt\' with that of its coniing lo Spadr;i in 1874, 
and marked no such revolution as had the earlier event, at which time railway 
trains were unknown in the \'alley, nevertheless it was the realization of the 
d.reams and pnimises of the promoters, and it meant a great deal for the 
town, r.uililiug material and freight of all kinds could now be brought from Los 
Angeles by rail instead of by the long, slow haul over the adobe road, ahvavs 
deeply covered with dust or mud. It would no longer be necessary to riile or 
drive fo Spadra, or perhaps all the way, when one wanted to go "to town." It is 
true that the p.assenger accommodations were none too good, trains were few and 
slow, and the fare was at first $3 for the trip, yet it was a long stej) ahead, and 
gave the town a new lease of life. The new depot and warehouse were the center 




EAKI.N \ IKU Ol POMONA 





PDMONA HOTKI. 



FIRSr IKAIN AKKIVINC IN I'oMoNA 



HISTORY AND I'.K )C.K.\I'I l^■ 11'' 

of much activity, tourists bcjj;ai) to come out to sec the town ami snmc. atlractdl 
by its licautitul setting, came back to live. 

Next in importance to the advent of the railway was its connectinn with 
Colton in 1881, ami then, at Deniing, with the Mast, thus giving the tnwn the 
tremendous ailvant.agc of location on one i>f the main lines of tran-coiUineiUal 
railway. The coming of the railroad through the \ alley and the booming of a 
new town gave impetus to the sale and planting of other orchards adjoining the 
Pomona Tract and near by. South of Orange Grove .\ venue and west nf l{llen 
Street (now I'ark Avenue) the eighty or ninety acres between the ranches of 
Trinidad Vorba and Soiedad .Mvarado were subdivi<led into five-acre lots and 
])Iaceil on the market as I'.urdick"s .\ddition. just after the opening up of the 
I'omona Tract in 187.^. In this tract, between White and I'ark avenues, lames 
Loney and R. F. Mouse, with their wives, bought lots, the latter twenty acres and 
the former about fifteen. In the well-kept orchards wliich they ])lanted may now 
be seen some of the oldest seedling orange trees in the \'alley. These men were 
able after a time to turn from their occupations as conductors on the Southern 
Pacific Railwav to business and ranching, later building attractive homes on Park 
.Avenue. Thomas I-'lanagan and William ( )'Coniier, Joe IVidger and Fred 
Uambourne were others who bought about this time in the same tract. 

lietwecn the lUirdick and .Mvarado ]ilaces. north of ( )range Crove .\venue. 
was an orcliard lot which P. C. Tonner had bought of Thomas I'urdick, brother 
of Cyrus, and on which he had lived until Iiis house had burned down. This liit 
he now sold to a Mr. W'eile. who hail been for a good many years L'nited States 
consul in Ecuador and Peru, and who, after living here for a time, married Fannie, 
a daughter of Rev. R. C. Fryer of Spadra. 

To the north of the Pomona Tract, in what was known as Lot One of I'ran- 
cisco Palomares. and north of that, Capt. .\. J. Hutchinson, about the first of 
January, 187.^, leased a hundred acres on which he began to experiment in raising 
tobacco and hogs. I'>oth the hogs and the tobacco did well, but the tobacco did 
not find a ready market with the large dealers, becau'^e, they said, it was tfio strong. 
It was used, however, in large (|uantities in the making of sheep dip at shearing 
time. .About fifty acres of this land he enclosed with a board fence, and bought 
the place two years later. The old house, still standing on a lot partly surrf)umled 
by large eucalyjitus trees at a bend in the road on Garcy .Avenue, marks this 
spot. It was on this land and on that of Pancho Palomares adjoining that he 
later bored a number of artesian wells, the first artesian wells in the X'alley. 

Caf)tain Hutchinson had a Chinese cook on the ranch, called I.ouie, whom 
everybody knew. L'nlike other Chinese of his day, he had cut off his (|ueuc and 
discarded his Chinese dress: also, he had learned a certain amount of I-'nglish, as 
appears from a story told by C. .\. Sumner in his "Early Days in California." 
which appeared in the f.os .liu/clc.'! 'J iiiirs in l'M8. Mr. Sunnier drove out one 
Sunday with Captain Hutchinson, who was then living in Los Angeles, to visit 
his ranch at Pomona. Louie was still in charge, but they did not fiml him nor diil 
they find anything to eat, so they shot a rooster and cooked it for lunch. When 
they started for Los .Angeles they left a note for Louie to explain their visit. His 
reply, as Mr. Sumner remembers it, was: "Honored Sir, why in Ii — II didn't you 
stop longer? Fvc got no cash, got no grub, got no credit, and now you've killed 
my best rooster, ^'our obedient servant, Louie." 

In the Palomares Tract north of the Mud S]»rings or Lordslnirg Road ami 
west of the Loop and Meserve Tract. J. W'. I'.rim. G. Heath and J. H. Goodhue 



120 IIlSToin' AND lUuGRAPHY 

each bought over a hundred acres. Four miles east, James 'SI. Armour bought 160 
acres of government land and jilanted a few Tahiti orange trees, keeping also a 
good many stands of Ijees, until in 1882 he sold it all to the Land and Water 
Company and went into business, being for a time the i)ro])rietor of the Central 
Hotel. 'In the ],oo]i and Meserve Tract, east of San Antonio Avenue, Robert 
Cathcart, in 187(), bought one hundred acres and .set it out to citrus and deciduous 
frnils, but with the exjiectation of sinking artesian wells, wliich he did later, as 
will lie seen. 

-\t tile southern end of the Loop and Aleserve Tract and north of the Pomona 
Tract, another considerable acreage, about 150 acres, was liought in 1877 by H. 
K. W. IUmU and \\'. ('.. llalslead, land from which the Packard and El A'erde 
ranches were later sold. This was the first sale in. this tract, the price being $25 
per acre. Though not long associated with the town of Pomona. Mr. F)ent's influ- 
ence was to be felt later im the I'.oard of Trustees of Pomona College. He was 
a man of high purpose and ambition, whose education and later career were 
repeatedly arrested by ill health. Coming to California from Massachusetts in 
early manhood, he had regained his health while living an out-of-door life as a 
surveyor and luining engineer. Later he came into prominence in Los Angeles 
as a leader in imblic affairs, in pnHtics, in horticuhurc, and in education. He was 
for a time chairman of the county Reimljlican committee, was postmaster of Los 
.•\ngeles from 1873 to 1877. and was a member of the committee which drew up 
the city charter. When the Los .Angeles Pnlilic Library was established he was 
one of its organizers. He also served as jircsidcnt of tlie Hoard of Kducation. 
From this wide experience and from his enthusiasm for Christian education he 
ijrougiit to his ]iosition as trustee of Ponmna College, when this institution was 
fouufled. great wisdom and force. 

Returning to the story of the town itself, the first public Imililing to be 
erected, after the hotel and railway station, was the school building. 'l"he begin- 
nings of educational work in the \'allcy have been related in the last chapter. 
.\fter the division of the district, the little old peregrinating schoolhouse having 
been moved to S|iadra, after conducting the school for a time in the house of 
Tomas Palcimarcs, the school trustees had put up a new building near what is 
the corner of C)range Crove and Park avenues. Here, in 1874, Trustee Palomares, 
Don Francisco, had deeded to the trustees for the district two acres of land. The 
teachers here were Air. Green and Mrs. Ellen Finley, the latter still remembered 
afifectionately by a few who, as little children, were pu])ils then, it was a little 
country school, serving the families of the haciendas in this part of the \'alley. 
Put as people came to Pomona and the hamlet began to assume the proportions 
nf a \illage, a larger building, nmre centrally located, became necessary. For this 
jiurpose the trustees, liurdick. Palomares and Garcia, raised $1,500, Pancho Palo- 
mares. Don Francisco, being the ])rincipal donor. In addition to this the L O. O. F. 
contributed $1,000, ])roviding that the upper story should be used as an assembly 
hall for the lodge, recently organized, until such time as the room might be needed 
for school j)urposes, when the amount should be returned from the school funds. 
Sui)plementing thus the amount i)rovided by the county, a substantial building was 
erected in 1876, at the corner of Holt and Ellen ( Park .Avenue). This building, 
long known as the Central School House, was moved back when the new building 
was erected, rnid latt'r sold for an a]:>artment house. 

The first teachers in the new school house were Charles T. Coleman. Jr.. and 
Emma Al. Loughrey. .Mr. Coleman was a young man who had just come with 



I11ST()R^■ AND I'.IOC.UAIMIV l.'l 

Iiis liride from Massaclnisctts. Until were pcc)])lf of culture am! full uf anihitiou. 
I'ntil tlicv could liuild. tiiev liveil. as Mrs. Kiuley and utiier Icaclu-rs liad d'Mie, at 
the ranch hnmc of Mr. and Mrs. Burdick. I'nder the able instruction of the>e 
teachers the school was well conducted. The attendance was small. i>\ course, 
and mostly from the Spanish families of the surrouiidini,' region, there Iieiui,' almut 
a dozen chililren of tlie more recent families of settlers.* 

Miss Koughrey hail come from the I''ast, where siie had lived and received 
her education, to join some relatives in Compton. Here she met .Mr. I. I".. Mc- 
Comas, who was interested in a ranch there. It was <louhtless tiiroufjh his intere<t 
both in the town and in the teacher that she was engaged for the position. She 
was also engaged soon to Mr. McComas. the young officer and lawyer, who was 
so active in building up the town : and at the end of her first year f>i teaching they 
were married. Iler peo]ile being then at a distance, the wedding look place al the 
home of their mutual fricnils. the r>ur<licks. with whom she had been living. This 
was in September. lS7'i. Soon after thi> they moved, as we have said, to their 
new home on Fifth Street, where the ymnig Tonners were already living. 

l!ut the dreams of the builders were rudely interrupted. In sj)ite of two or 
three seasons of abundant rain, there had been a long series of dry \ears. With 
the exception of those three years the average rainfall for nearly iwent\ years was 
said to be only about ten inches. .\nd u'^w. following the birth of the town, there 
came two more years of drought, when for a scant month the hill- anil vallev- 
were just tinged with green and then were so<>ii dried out and brown. The only 
water the villagers had was from surface wells. \\ hen these ran dry they turned 
to the company, urging tiiem to develop more water. I'.ut the directors ha<l already 
invested all their available capital in the town and were unable to furnish more. 
For the tide of prosperity which had rolled in from 1872 to 1S7.^. and on wlmse 
crest the Poinona boom had risen, was now ebbing fast, not only here Iml through- 
out the state. With loans frotii the Temple and Workman Bank in I.os .\ngeles. 
the directors of the I,os .\ngeles Immigration and Lanl Coii])t'ralive \s>' ,ciaiio-i 
had indeed organize<I a subsidiary company called the Pomona Water Com|)aiiy 
f not to be confused with the I'omona Land and \\ alcr Company, organized later » 
to buy and develop water and to pipe and deliver it through the town. I'.ut the 
failure of the California Hank in San I'rancisco was followed in IS7'') by the 
collapse of the Temple and Workman P.ank in I.os .\ngele-. and the panic which 
ensued left the company stranded "high and dry." I'nfidfiUed contracts with 
I^iiuis Phillips could not be met. and they were involved in much litigation with 
him. as he found it necessary tfi press his claims. In the meantime P. C. Tonncr 
was playing his own game with consummate skill and cimning. The game was 
too intricate and the tangleil tale woven at this time too long to be unraveled here. 
It would be a mo.st fascinating story (|uite by itself. In the eml Toiiner gained 
control by sheriff sale of all the water rights ami rights-of-way an<l -ome of the 
land interests helrl by the company, and srild them out to Louis Phillip-, only 
keeping certain strings in his own hands. The result was the comj^lete colIa]>-e 
of the olrl company. 

The failure of the company and its inaliility to save the settlers was a bitter 
disappointment to both the directors and the (>eo))le. .\ meeting was held to -ee 
what could be done. It was Iwlievcd that artesian water could be had, if only the 
money could be found to pay for boring the wells. P.ut all were pour, and .Mr. 
Phillips seemed to be the only one to whom they could turn, with money enough 

ilic I'omttna Schor^N is rr*umc<l in Chapter \'in. 



122 1^ST^^^;^• .wn iunr,K.\PiTV 

for sucli an niulerlakiiit;. As a director of the ccimpany, a home huilder ami a 
friend of I'hillips (whom he had assisted in various business matters), Mr. .\lc- 
Conias was delegated to interview the rich rancher and urge him to invest in the 
enterprise of developing artesian wells. Now Mr. I'liillips liked the young lawyer, 
l)Ut had no interest in the town, and kuighed at the idea of sinking money in dee]3 
wells, "rni going to run my sheep over where your town is," he said. Then 
courage fled, tliougli niit their love of the place which they had come to think of 
as home. Already they could sec the lierds of sheep running over their gardens 
and orchards. A numl)er of them decided to move away, the AteComas family 
among them. Certainly with no water there could he no town, .'celling the home 
place, which had cost them $3,000. for $1,000, and taking half of that in stock, 
the -McComas famil\- moved to Compton. ' They had lost, altogether, some 
$19,000. The story of the McComas family is typical of many at this time. The 
times were desperately hard. L'nahle to raise the mortgage on the Compton ranch, 
and Mrs. McComas" health not being good so near the ocean, they moved to 
Arizona, where the son was engaged in teaming and his father in the practice of 
law. It was from llenson, in Arizona, that Mr. AlcComas wrote to Tonner, 
urging him to sell his business lots in roniona, and offering them all for sale at 
$500. This included the corners at Second and IMain and at First and Thomas, 
on which he later built the McComas Blocks. But Tonner wrote back: 'A'ou old 
fool, I'll do nothing of the sort. Keep the lots. I won't sell them." They did 
sell the corner on which the Campbell & Pierce Drug Store has stood, for $100, 
paid in installments of $10 each. After two or three years in Compton and a 
year and a half in Arizona, they came back to Los Angeles, where 'Sir. McComas 
opened a real estate office. But the attachment lo Pomona was strong, and when 
Philli]->s offered him twenty-five acres on Holt Avenue at $50 an acre if he would 
buy before the new syndicate took possession, the)- were glad enough to accept. 
When they returned, in 1883, the new company had brought water into town and 
a new era had begun. From this time on, for thirty years, his life was devoted 
to the best interests i)f the town and valley. 

In all this time wdien Pomona lay dormant for lack of means to develop its 
water resources, there were not a few who understood well its possibilities. .A 
disinterested editorial in the Siiiita Barbara Press, as early as Alarch, 1875, says 
of Pomona: "During the six months of my lecturing on Southern California in 
the East. I was constantly beset with (|uestions from peojile " * * asking for 
reliable information concerning some inland region, on the line of a railroad, 
'■■■ ■■'■ '■'■ where the land was fertile, the climati' warm and drv and yet tempered 
by the sea breeze, wln're there would be a quick growth with ])ermanent ])ros- 
perity, and a country surrounding the town and tributary to it. large enough to 
build up a good local business and make the ])eople prosperous who had settled 
there for the sake of making permanent homes, * * * and I was unable to find 
any one locality combining all these advantages. * * * At last I believe I have 
founil the place so much inquired after. * * * .\bout thirty miles due east of 
Los Angeles, in a broad valley, * * "' on the line of the Southern Pacific Rail- 
road, * * * is the most perfect site for a large and flourishing inland city: 
* ■'■ * and on this l<ivelv plain, .almost environed b_\' mountain scenery, * * * 
with a sagacity which seems like |)rovidence, certain gentlemen in Los Angeles have 
liought a rare tract of about 6,000 acres and founded the A'illage of the Plain.' 
called Pomona." llow full\- this faith was to be realized not even the writer coukl 
foresee. 



iiis'n »RV AM) r.K )(■.u.\l•ll^■ i.m 

FMirtiiiiatoIy tlKTc wore otliers who liad not only tliis vision of tlic prnphct, 
l)iit tile means and the (Iftcrniination to make that vision conic true. i\cv. C. T. 
Mills of ( )aklan(l. who visited the \'alley with his wife early in ISXi, wa- <o 
delii,'lited with its natural heanty and its evident prospects that he a^sociiited w ith 
himself Mr. M. L. Wicks of I.ns Anj.'cles, and they toj^ether entered into a cun- 
tract with the owners and holders at that time of the I'oinona Tract and of the 
I'oniona 'rownsile. for the purchase of the greater part of the I'liillips and I'alo- 
mares holilings in what is now comprised in the city of I'oinona. With this land 
they secured the water rights lieM hy the former water company. They also con- 
tracted with Lr>op, Meserve, Sorhy and others for a large part of the I. no]) an<l 
Meserve Tract, including their vahtahle water rights in the San .\iitonio Canyon. 
In Octolier. li^Hl. Messrs. Mills and Wicks iiicor])orated the I'omoiia Land and 
Water Company, associating with themselves certain other northern men. In 
Decemher of the same year all the land and all the water rights which Mills and 
Wicks had secureil were transferred to the new company. 'I'lins the i'oniona 
Land and Water Company came into possession of nearly all the land in the town 
of romoiia and in the I'oniona Tract surror . of the Loop and Me>erve 

Tract, the Northeast Pomona Tract and the .. .... . aloniares Tract, and also of 

the San .\ntonio and Monte \'ista 'i'racts in San Bernardino County. To these 
were added a considerahle area of government land farther north and east, making 
altogetiicr more than 12.000 acres, with all the waters and water development 
rights on this property. The I'oniona Land and Water Company tiieii commenced 
tile first active and effective development of this territory, sinking a large luimher 
of wells, constructing many miles of pipe line, clearing the lanil and preparing it 
for development and sale. Hitherto there had hcen no substantial growth in the 
town for lack of water. To the sup])lying of this need the company directe 1 its 
attention first of all. I low this was accomplished, by conservation of the canyon 
waters, by development of the ciencga snpiilies. ard l)y the b< ring of many llowing 
wells in the artesian belt, is related at length in the chajner on ll'iitcr. It was the 
plan of the company to sell land only as fast as it had actually <leveloped a suffi- 
cient su])|)ly of water for its orchard aiid domestic use. and then to >ell water 
rights with the land. 

The fundamental sjjirit which actuated the management of the Lomona Land 
and Water Comjiany from the first was that of cooperation in the develo])ment 
and control of the land and water in this vicinity to tiic end that the individual 
landowners might i)roportionately participate, in the spirit of democracy, in main- 
taining the highest degree of development consistent with the valuable water 
supply and productive cajjacity of the land, uniting at all times in the defense 
against any encroachment on the part of adjacent comnnmities and discouraging, 
so far as possible. develo|)ment which might result in waste or exportation of the 
water su()ply. so vital to the successful mainten.nice of such jmrpose. The suc- 
cessful completion and fulfilment of this plan ami purpose were marked by the 
action of the company a few years ago when, having sold the greater part of its 
irrigated lands and having largely performed its mission in the develo|)ment of 
this section, it divided among its stockholders the remaining unsold portions of its 
holdings, retaining rtnly certain reserve water, water rights ami development rights 
in the company, which still maintains its corporate existence and organization. 

The life of the comj)any was at first Dr. C. T. Mills. He had come to Cali- 
fornia in 1S.=!8. after si>nie years spent as a missionary in the Hawaiian Islands and 
Imli.i In ill.- Xortli he and his wife were especially known and beloved as the 



124 IllS'l'OkV AM) moGRAI'HV 

founders of Mills Seminary (now Mills College). When he died, in .\pril. 1884. 
he was eulogized as "the frail, nervous, tireless, genial, generous, large-hearted 
planner and organizer, who has made the sleepy, unknown town of Pomona waken 
and grow and bloom and blossom, and waft the perfume of its orange blossoms 
throughout all the state."* The treasurer of the company then, and for many years, 
was Frank !,. I'alnu'r. later manager of the great Richards grov^e, whose high 
worth is kmiwn in all. A number of T'omona's substantial business men were then, 
<r have been at some time, connected with the Pomona Land .and Water Company. 
John P. Storrs. cashier of the .American National liank, and Charles M. .Stone, 
president of the First National Bank, were secretaries: H. J. Nichols, now presi- 
dent of the company, has been from the first the expert director of its water inter- 
ests, and .\. r. Nichols was for some time its attorney, the first attorney being 
Warren (.)lney. Sr., of San Francisco. Dr. P. S. Nichols, father of IT. J. and 
A. P., was long its president, \\ith the Nichols, Stone and Storrs families came 
a number of others from P>urlington, \'t., — Prodie and ^Morgan and F,. P. Shaw, 
the genial field agent, and I Tarry A. Storrs, brother of Mr. John Stnrrs, and since 
considting engineer in the reclamation of arid lands for the Government. James 
T. Taylor was the company's surveyor for a time before H. A. Storrs, and be- 
fore he became city engineer and opeiie 1 an office for himself; also IT. E. Stod- 
dard. .After him fnllnwed W. 11. Sanders, later a consulting engineer in Los 
.Angeles. P. C. Tnnner, retain.ed by the comijany for his rare professional skill, 
sometime.- wdu important law cases fur them, and sometimes plunged them into 
hot water. .\. II. Smith of ITonolulu. who built a block on Second Street for the 
post office in 188.^, was a member of the companv. 

Those were busy days in the company's forces, with draftsmen and clerks in 
the office, surveyors in the field, gangs of men plowing and grading, other crews 
at work boring wells, and still others laying pipe. .And this activitv was reflected 
in a new life in the tnwn and valley. Numbers of those who had lots began to 
build residences upnn ihcni, five and ten-acre lots began to be set out to citrus and 
deciduous fruits. "On the Street." w hich meant for the most part Second Street, 
new stores were opened in frame buildings. A'isitors to the town saw evervwhere 
unfinished buildings going u]). ranchers busy with laying out new groves, and 
here and there artesian wells flowing abundant streams of pure, sjiarkling water. 
There was a tonic in the air, a contagious atmosphere of push and progress, as 
well as the natural invigorating freshness of this rare climate. \\'ho that has 
known the experience of coming from an Eastern winter, from the blizzards and 
flatness of die .Middle West or from the less favorable sections of the North — 
from anywhere in the world almost — into this valley of paradise with the per- 
petual miracle of perfect climate, of unbounded growth, can ever forget the 
inspiring impressions of his first mornings and evenings — the thrilling simrise 
and the more gorgeous sunsets, the meadow larks and the roses, the golden 
oranges and the ragged, towering rows of cucalyptu.s — the very joy of living in 
such a world.-' .\dd lo this the peculiar sense of satisfaction of ownership in a 
piece of ground, be il large or small, and of inlaying at husbandman with such a 
lavish Nature : then the persuasive rei)resentations of the promoter pointing out 
everywhere the evidences of prosperity and progress, and one understands a little 
the si.)irit of the times. In fact, the boom -<c(ix on. Tt may be dated, i)erhaps, from 
the time wln-n the Pomona Land and Water Company struck the first fine flow of 
artesian water in 1882. F.arly in 188,i the pa|)ers record "an unparalleled boom for 

"Memorial Scnnuii in- I\tv. (). C Wclki. 




< 

7. 

O 

o 

0. 









7, 

■2 






IIISTi )\<\ AM) I'.K )(".k AI'IIV IJ? 

llie past four months," so tliat it was almost imp<)ssil)lc to timl liiiiis(.-~ : an 1 llii> was 
only llu" bcfjinning. KcrckliotT and Cu/jht, from the hranch hnnlu-r yanl already 
estahlished. were receivins,' sumetimes twelve carlnads of lumber in a day. Seven 
contractors and their yangs of workmen had all the work they could do. In this 
year the Kami and Water Co!n|)any com|)lete(l its cement pi])e line, replacing the 
open ditch from San .\ntonio Canyon, at a cost of $')3,(X)!). ( )ther agents were 
busy as well as those of the Land and Water Company. Mr. J. 1".. .McComas, who 
liad returned to Pomona at the beginning of the year. s<il(l to J. Iv Packard, in 
March, the eighty acres on Towne and San .\inoni(j avenues on which the viiie- 
\ard was |)lante(l. He also sold a good many smaller tracts, which were the 
orchard homes of jjermanent residents. 

'i'iie long strides by which the town marche<l forward during the boom are 
clearly marked by the contrast between two jjictures. one early in 1XK2 and the 
other three years later, in 1885. Since no good ()hotogra])hs can be found oi 
these scenes, one mu'^t attempt to draw them in- his imagination. In 188J we 
must picture a village of 1.^0 or 200 peo|)le. all told, clustered chiefly about the 
few stores on Second Street, with a few outlying homes and orchards, esjiecially 
iK'tween the village ami the S|)anish >ettlement about the San Jose Hills. Just off 
Second Street on Main was the new hotel which l.ouis Pirosseau had oi)ened the 
previous Christmas. Here, until in 1883 he sold out to Morris Keller, the genial 
French-Canadian disjx'used hospitality, rejoicing in the better times, after five 
years of fruit-growing following the earlier boom of 1876. His livery stal)lc w.is 
farther west on Secon<l Street. Theodore Ruth, whose father was the veteran 
f)astor of the little Episco|)al mission, had a general merchandise and drug store 
just below on Main Street, and there was another, kept by Jackson and then by 
Henry Sattler, on the corner of Main and Second, and one on Thomas and Second 
by L. .Mexander and H. McComas. There was G. W. Farrington's grocery and 
two hardware stores — T. D. Holladay's. where the Pomona IJank is now, and K. 
J. \ otter's, later bought out by his clerk, Richard X. Loncks. who has now been 
identified with the town for nearly forty years, sharing in all its vicissitudes and 
contributing greatly to its advancement. Two blacksmiths shoil horses and luended 
wagons — W. 1). Smith on Main Street and Wright and Holiailay. where K. P.. 
Smith was later. George Young was the barber and watchmaker; .\. R. Johnson 
made and repaired shoes : Garlhsidc. Reed and Conner, architects, ptaiuied the 
new buildings; the KerckhofF-Cuzncr Mill and Lumber Company furnished the 
hmiber and John W byte the brick and stone to build them. I'or those who were 
not satisfied with the best water in the world th<.-re were already two or three 
saloons, one at First and Main and one in the ( )'Conner I'.nilding. For those who 
were in business trouble there was P. C. Tonner, the lawyer (John J. Mills having 
just diefl I ; ami for those in bodily troulile there were two doctors. Dr. C. W. 
Prown, at Third and Main, and Dr. Fairchild, whose i|narter-scction of govern- 
ment land north of Claremont was so cons|)icuously marked by its huge stone 
wall. If we except Dr. Kirkpatrick, who lived for a short time at the west end 
of the settlement on ( )range Grove .\venue, Dr. P.rown was the fir<t physici;in in 
town and lived to be one of the oldest. 

The only houses south of the village were tho.se of Rev. P. S. Riub, the Epis- 
copal rector; P. C. Toiuier. the lawyer; H. L. Strong, an orange grower; S. Gate"!, 
the nurseryman, and John Whyte, the brick and stone mason and dealer, on bis 
ten-acre tract. There was nothing on Seconfl Street west of Kcssler's on the north 
and Prosseau"s liverv on the south. North and east there were onlv the little 



]2G IIISTURV AND BIOGRArHY 

luni>es of C. K. ^^'hite and L. D. Conner opposite on Holt Avenne, till one came to 
the open country, with its scattered ranches. Such are the outlines of the picture 
in 1882. 

In 1885, instead of a village of less than 200, we sec a town of over 2,000. 
The Kerckhotif-Cuzner Mill and Lumber Comimny had put in a mill and enlarged 
tlu-ir stock; and another lumber yard, opened by Phil Stein, had been bought out 
b\' (). T. I'.rown. b'ix-e real estate fu'nis were doing well, J. Iv McComas having 
taken in C. R. Johnson as a [lartiier, an 1 tlu' tirm of I'.rnoks and llollada}' laeing 
strengthened by Colonel Firey, wdio in 1883 commenced that life of notable and 
high service for Pomona which has continued ever since. Instead of one grocery 
store, there were ten to feed the growing po]ndation, that of \'. de P.runner being 
conspicuous. The little country merchandise stores had given place to others more 
specialized. There were four dry goods stores, among them Greenbaum's and that 
of Converse Howe, who was to be for a time so prominent in Pomona affairs, both 
in its liusiness and its education. There were three drug stores, two bakeries and 
two meat markets; aPo two furniture stores and two boot and shoe shoi)s. Toots 
Martin's and that of P. j. Tarr, the veteran shoe man and loyal Pomonan, who 
came in December, 18N4. (~)f confectioners and book stores there were four, in- 
cluding those of E. T. Palmer and id' R. X. I.onck'i, who also handled insurance 
and real estate. To Prosseau's liver_\- were added three (Others, E. Hicklin's among 
them. Kessler had opened "Toiisorial and Bath Parlors" in his Second Street 
Plock. Three millinery stores and one for jewelry tell of feminine interest in the 
iK'W jii ipnlalioii. Put there were many homeless citizens as well as visitors and 
t'lurists, to whom four restaurants and four or five hotels now catered. Keller's 
and King's both claimed the name of Pomona lliitel, the tirst by priority and the 
second In- location near wdiere the old Pumona Hotel had burned down. For a 
time these iiad been the only two hotels in town, and Ixitli were ])opular, "Mother 
King" being much in demand for her nursing. After the first hotel had burned 
and before Prosseau had built, there had only been a restaurant, kept by a Cov- 
ernor Mercer of Iowa, who had come here for his health, and a small house on 
Main Street kept for two or three years b}' one Garcia, a Mexican, called Saboni. 
Now there were also the Des Moines and lirown's llotel, and the Maison Fran- 
caise, with a considerable clientcde of French colonists and visitors. .\1. G. Rogers 
had opened his feed store at Second and Ellen, and Snuth Profilers their tlouriiig 
mill; Graber was in charge of Philli|)s' warehouse by the station; and there were 
now five blacksmiths and two harness shops. 

With all this increase in business two banks had been established: the first, 
called the Pomona \'alley Bank, had been organize<l in 188,3 with J. H. Smith. P 
E. McComas and Dr. Thomas Coates as officers, and occupied the new lirick hlnck 
which P. S. Ruth had built in 1882 at Third and Main. The other ])ank was the 
Pomona Bank, in the Palmer Plock, of which H. A. Palmer was president. James 
P. Howlaiid. who had come from Massachusetts in 1882, had joined S Gates in 
the nursery Ijusiness, and their stock c<ivered forty acres at Cucanionga and < )range 
Grove avenues, with 100,000 orange trees and 200,000 olives. Two live papers lia-l 
been established. The Pomona 7'iiiics. founded by H. N. Short an 1 W. 1). .Murton 
in r)ctober, 1882, had Iiecome the 'riiiies-t'i)iiriiT, with John H. Pee, whd had 
started the Courier in 188,3, in ]ilace of Short. The Proiircss ha 1 j;ist begua (Jan- 
uary ,il, 188.S, ) its long, unbroken record of service to the town. 

Dr. Brown had been joined by Dr. Coates, who also was to continue his suc- 
cessful practice here to the end of his life ; and there were also Dr. Burr and Dr. 



Ilisr« )RV AM) I'.K iC.R \niv l.T 

r. E. Howe. Dr. 1-". DuWill Crank liad oiiik', in tlic fall <>\ 1SX4, fr-ini rasaikna, 
where he had married a daughter nf Colonel I'.anhury. llial pioneer nf tin- Indiana 
Colonv. who built the first honse in I'a-adena; the lirsl of l'oniona\ carlx |)li\-i- 
cians to continne to the ])resent time. Dr. \'on I'lonluirst. the denli-t. had now a 
rival in Dr. |. II. Piinn. In the le{.;al jirofession h'olev and Clark wire iiarlners 
of Tonner : here Claihorne had entered the field, also the new firm of Joy and 
Sumner, of whom more is to lie w ritten in a later eha|)ter. Thoniih not yel in this 
profession which he was to follow in roinona to the iiresent lime, I'. Iv While 
came to I'omona ;is a youth of sixteen, with his folks, in 1SS3, havin;,', in fact, 
grown uj) with the town and been interested in all its pri>gress. Such, then, is ilic 
picture of I'omona early in ISS.s — a real town, with a post office of the tiiird cl.i-s. 

Remarkable as was the f^rowth of these lliree years, that of the next few 
months was even more striking:;. ]".arly in 1X8') the population hail ,L;rown from 
2.000 to nearly .s,0(X); ten churches had been established, five of them well housed: 
and there were strr>nfj lodges of the fraternities 1. ( ). (J. !■'., !•'. & .\. M., K. of 1'., 
.•\. O. r. W.. Good Templars and Grand .\rmy. ( )n December M. ISS.^^, there 
were counted ninety-eight business concerns in I'omona. Four schoolhouses had 
been erected, and a good modern hotel. The Land and Water Company .alone had 
now s|)ent S-I00.CM30 and had dis|)osed of 4.(X)() acres of land, with water, at jirices 
from S.^0 to $200 an acre. Two thousand acres were set out with trees, MI.OUO 
trees having been idanted in ISS.s. Six hundred inches of water was (lowing from 
eighty artesian wells. 

Moreover, even at the height of the boom, the growth of romona was sub- 
stantial. Materially a better class of construction was now employed. In addition 
to Ruth's brick block at Third and Main, which contained his store and ]iost otTice 
and the romona \'alley Hank, there were the I'almer and McCoin.as Ulocks. and 
the four brick buildings at Second and Gordon were built during the \ear. In the 
vear ISiS.s, 1.200.0(X) brick were used in I'omona. .\nd the siibstanlial character of 
this growth was not simply material, but there was less inflation of values and con- 
sef|uently less loss and suffering here than in many other places following the boom. 

In sketching this picture of roniona in the days of the boom, the writer can 
only bring out in detail certain features which chanced to form the high lights in 
the scene as he found or remembered it. and these, oi course, might lia\e been 
cniile different from those seen by another from a different jioint of \iew. Sonic 
of these more noticeable features we may now consider. 

The opening of the Hotel I'alomares was a notable event. .\ really modern 
hotel, attractive in a])])earance and furnished in good taste, it was conducted at first 
by Frank Miller, before he had become known to the world as the profirietor of 
the Gienwood Inn. For the "o()ening week" in November. 18X5. there were 
dinners and dances and various special functions and a number of distinguished 
guests who came from a distance, and there were many compliments for the 
directors, wdio were also directors in the Land and Water Company. The new- 
hostelry was alwavs crowded with visitors and tourists; and business men of the 
town, who could afford it. liked to lunch at its excellent table. So popular, iivleed. 
was the house that a new and larger building was soon projected and the first one 
moved to one side to make place for it in the center of the block. So long as the 
good times lasted its prestige brought patronage and it proved a great attraction for 
the town. Incidentally, these days marked the high tide of the hotel business in 
the \'alley. ( Jppositc the Hotel F'alomares Dr. Crank and Dr. Coates built, and 
Mr. Mueller moved into his new residence, then regarded as quite elegant. 



128 HISTORY AXD lUUGRAl'll V 

111 the irii anil tort^-acre tracts ailjoiniiig the town, and farther out, new siib- 
ili\isiiins were |)Ut c ni the market, witli excursions and auction sales. At such a 
sale of lots in the Currier Tract, one ilay in February, 1SS7. there was a tremen- 
diius downimur of rain and a man named Carter was struck by lightning. The 
next niontli aiidther "grand excursion to the beautiful town of Pomona" was 
advertised by Easton and Eldridge, with C). F. Giffen as special agent, for the 
sale of lots in the Palomares Tract. Los Angeles was flooded with pictures and 
circulars. .Seven hundred people came on the excursion train and all were served 
with luncheon. Lots were sold at from $50 to $250, amounting to $16,400. 

.\ iiuiiiber of outstanding figures not already mentioned in the early history 
of the town, who were here at the height of the boom in 1887, or before the Santa 
Fe was built, may well be mentioned here. One of these was Frank Slanker, for 
thirty-three years now the efhcieiit and faithful constable of the San Jose Town- 
ship. W hen Captain Hutchinson was boring the first artesian wells in the \'alley, 
in 1880 and 1881, Frank Slanker was foreman in charge of the tools, and "Bill" 
]\Iulhollaiid, Los Angeles' great engineer, of ai|neihict fame, was working for him 
at $2.2? a day. lUit .Mr. Slanker wanted to be a blacksmith, and so after these 
four wells were drilled, and one or two fur J'ancho Palomares, he set about to 
learn the blacksmith's heavy trade, .\fter six years he had become a master 
workman and was associated with \\". D. Smith, when one day at the close of the 
year 1886, J. F. McComas came to the shop and said, "We are .going to elect you 
constable tomorrow," and would listen to no refusal. "I'll buy your stock," he 
said. 'A\'e want some one to clean up the town," for there were then foiu^teen 
saloons in the place. When he was elected the next day, Mr. Mcdmias had a 
silver star made and came to the Ijlacksmith shop to present it to him. Louis 
Phillips, wdio was also there, said to him, "Throw that away and I'll have a gold 
one made for you." I'.ut Frank Slanker has worn his silver star with honor, from 
the first of Januarv, 1887, wdien he entered office, to the present time. It was 
while biiring a well for Pancho Palnmares and bdardiiig at his home that the latter 
told him the storv of Old Prieto and his money ( alreaily narrated), and promised, 
that, if he should die first, he would come back and tell Slanker wdiere it was 
buried. This he had also jiidmise 1 to his friend Cyru> lUirdick. Tonner, too, 
wild knew the st(ir_\- well and was a friend of the three, had made the same 
plelge. .\s ciinstable, Slanker saw much uf Tonner in his <lrunken moods, tak- 
ing him home literally hundreds of times. .\t such times Tonner often talked 
of the hereafter, and so earnestly that Mr. Slanker said once to him, Tonner be- 
ing sober, 'A'ou do not talk of the things when sober that you do when drunk: 
I'd like to be able to say that P. C. Tonner has said so-and-so wdien sober," to 
which he replied seriously, "I'll come back and tell you about it some day." 

In the early days of his office there was still a rancheria of Indians by the 
Arenas Springs, also called the Huaje, an ever-shifting crowd whose men were 
mostly sheepshearers. Sometimes they were troublesome, gambling and fighting 
among themselves and cutting each other, though not doing much shooting, and he 
was obliged to straighten them out. There was a very red, one-eyed Indian in 
cam]) called "Dan," whom he asked one day, "Dan, how long have you been here?" 
Slowd\- the old man answered, "When I came here Old lu'ildy was a little hill like 
that," holding his hand only a little above the ground. 

One might fill a volume with stories of this constable's adventures, if only he 
were willing to tell them, for with all his modesty he has seen much service, espe- 
ciall\- in the earlier, wihler (la\'s. Put there are two, alread\- i.ui record among the 



HIST()R^ AM) I'.lOC.KAi'llV 1_') 

cinin ami legal (iocuiiifnts. wliidi illustrate his shrewdness ami his eoiiraj^e. In 
the clays of the saloon there was, of course, much ilrinkiiif;. camusiiif,' and j^am- 
blin}^. The streets were full of driuiken Mexicans. Sheepherders and ]niner- 
canie in from the plains and mountains alter ]tay-day with their ]jocki-l> lull of 
monev and woidd carouse for a couple of days till they were "broke" aj^ain. Into 
the hack vards of saloons — and every saloon had its hack yard — the men were 
rolled when full. Often two or three mij^ht Ijc seen lyinj^ in a hack yard 
dead drunk. At one time there was much complaint anionjj the ii|)pk'rs that tluy 
had lost larjje sums of money, "and it didn't all go to the saloonkee])ers, either." 
The thieves could not at tirst he located :md there was much speculation as to who 
they were. I'"inally Conslahle Slanker determined to find out. Dresseil as an old 
miner, with full heard, llannel shirt and trousers luckeil in his big boots, he went 
the rounds of the saloons. Soon he discovered that two men were following him 
about, lie recognized them as two painters wlm had been in town fur some iime. 
and not always busy. So, entering a saloon north of where .Xrmour's store now 
is, and observing that the two men had followed him in, he bought a pint of 
whiskey, 'i'he price llicii was 50 cents, and he offered a live-dollar gold piece in 
payment, drop|)ing jiart of the change. One of the men jumi)ed to i)ick it up an<l 
hand it to him. Slanker then went out and down the alley and lay down against 
the fence as if drunk, .\fter about twenty minutes these two men came u]) to him. 
One in front and one behind, they rolled him over, cut his ])ocket and took $.? 
which they foimil. ( This is what was called "rolling" in the parlance of the day. ) 
The other §1.50. in (|uarters. lie liad dro[)ped into one of his Ijoots. "Is that all .• 
lie must have more," saiil one of them, and the saloonkeeper called out to them, 
"How much did you get?" "Only three dollars." "lie must have a dollar and a 
half more" (!) So they rolled him over again and the money in his hoot was 
heard to clink, "lie's got it in his boots." they cried, and were about to pull them 
off. lUit the Constable had a "forty-four" in the other boot, so he |)retended to 
wake up a little, getting ui) on his hands and knees, and they decided to "let him 
go." The next day he got out a warrant for the men. arrested them and locked 
them up. They were convicted, of course, and sent to jail for several months. 
But an interesting incident occurred at the preliminary hearing. .\ brother of one 

of the men came to Constable Slanker and said, "Vou don't want to send M 

to jail. For the sake of the family let's fix it up. When you go to get him from 
jail, just let him go. He'll run and you shoot after him, but don't hit liini. We'll 
have a conveyance ready to take him away. Just as soon as he escapes I will give 
you $500." To which Frank Slanker quietly replied, "Tell your brother, if by an\ 
chance he should get lot)se, not to run, for I'll shoot to kill, and I'll get him." 

The other story is about the celebrated bandit, Silva, who was ca()tured finally 
in 18''7. Ihit the San Francisco pai)ers which then published thrilling accounts of 
liis career had forgotten, or did not know of. an earlier capture of the ilesi)erado by 
Constable Slanker. when he was known by his true name of Lugo. .\ com])arison 
of photograi)hs taken at both times leaves no room for doubt as to their identity. 
The sheriff of C'hino had learred that Lugo was wanted by officers in th.e north. 
and not knowing where to find him, came to Slanker to see if he knew anything 
about him. The Cbino sheriff would not tell by whom or for what he was wanted, 
but Slanker told him, nevertheless, where he was at work shearing sheep, and just 
how he could get him. So Lugo was caught, but on the way back, passing his 
home on Hamilton .\venuc. he asked to be allowed to go in to get some clean 
clothes. The sheriff let him go in by himself and waited some time for him to 
7 



1,5U HISTORY AXD BIOGRAPHY 

come out : then, going inside, he asked where Lugo was. .\n old woman answered, 
"No sais, qiiisas sc fiic,'' — I don't know, perhaps he has gone. Of course he had — 
gone straight through the house and escaped the back way. When the constable 
saw the sheriff again, this conversation took place: 

Constable : "Did you get him ?'' 

Sheriff': "Yes, 1 got him." 

Constable: "Well, what (lid you do with him?" 

Sheriff': "( )h, he got away." 

.\ little later the constable learned that Lugo was visiting a girl in the south 
])art of tiiwn. and wrote to officers in the north to learn if he was still "wanted." 
He found that he was wanted very much and that a considerable reward was in- 
volved. So Air. Slanker laid his plans to catch him. Going to a young doctor of 
his acquaintance, he asked him if he would be willing to stay up several nights 
"ready for business." "Someone is going to need attention," he said, "either I, or 
someone else." In a shed back of the house he hid and watched for several nights. 
Then Lugo came. Riding down the alley, he put his horse in the barn and went to 
the house. Then Mr. Slanker took the horse out, hitched him in another place 
and waited for Lugo to come out. Some time after midnight he saw him coming 
down the alley, his knife in his hand. "Now is the time," said 'Mr. Slanker to 
himself, and he rushed upon him as he was about to enter the barn and struck him 
on the side of the head with his revolver. Lugo fell, but nijt senseless, for as Mr, 
Slanker started to bring him out he grappled with him and a deadly struggle fol- 
lowed. r>oth lost their revolvers in the tussle, but Mr. Slanker managed to get 
hold of Lugo's. Somehow — he could not remember all the details later — Mr. 
Slanker got the best of Lugo. Finding a bad wound on the top of his prisoner's 
head, the constable took him to the doctor. "A few minutes more and he could 
not have been saved," the physician said. "You hit me too hard, Slanker," said 
Lugo later: "I knew it was vou." "How did you know?" the constable asked. 
"No one else would have dared try it," said Lugo. 

Of the permanent residents of Pomona who came before the boom and are 
still living here, few have contributed so much to the high standards of the com- 
munity as Fred J. Smith and his wife. Coming to Pomona in 1881. as Cajitain 
Hutchinson was boring his artesian wells farther west, before the Land and 
Water Company had organized and begun its water development, he was especially 
concerned in the jiroblem of water supply, recognizing its importance in the future 
of the \'alley. Relieving that flowing wells could be sunk on the forty-acre piece 
north (if his ])resent jilace, on the old L(30p and Meserve Tract, he tried to purchase 
it of H. K. W. Bent and his associates, who had bought it from Loop and 
Meserve, but they refused to sell the right to develop water (though they did sell 
it later to Hi.xon, and the wells on his and the Camp place farther north confirmed 
Mr. Smith's judgment). So he bought the tract which he still owns, west of San 
Antonio Avenue and south of San Bernardino, and began its improvement, setting 
it out mostly to choice vines, but laying out the beautiful home plot which sug- 
,gests their good taste and perhaps the instincts for a home estate, inherited from 
his I^nglish ancestors. Across the u])per corner of the |)lace ran the old County 
Road, the Camino Real de San Bernardino, packed like rock after generations of 
travel, as Kewen Dorsey says, who came from Spadra with his teams and tools to 
break it up. The connection of Air. Smith with the water development will Ije 
noticed later. 



HISTORY AM) i;i(»(;k.\riiv i.q 

romona's present postmaster, Col. Frank P. Firey, from the first a leailer in 
the npbuihling of the town, came to California in 1883. Toward the clusc of the 
tedious train ride, in company with his traveling companion, I'rof. W . T. Tibbs, 
lie remembers esj)ecially stretching their legs, as travelers do, at the little town of 
Pomona, and noting the rows of tall eucalyptus (more noticeable in the earlier 
landscape than now) against the background of the mountains, .\fter knocking 
about Los Angeles and San Diego, looking for a suitable location, they remembered 
their impression of this oasis, after crossing the desert, with the result that both 
he and Professor Tibbs came to Pomona and bought homes in the Kingslev Tract, 
and he has been identitied with the city from that time to the present. During his 
term of service as mayor of Pomona, the new City Hall was built and other im- 
provements made, especially in the development of Ganesha Park. In his discrim- 
inating review of Pomona's progress at the laying of the corner stone of Pomona's 
Greek Theater, Colonel F'irey prefaced his more substantial facts as to the banks 
with this incident : 

"The Pomona \'alley Bank, thirty-three years ago, * * * was run by one 
man. and that was Dr. Coates, pioneer physician of Pomona. I remember going 
into the bank one day, which was then located in what is now known as the old 
Ruth Plock. As I went into the bank Dr. Coates sat in a chair in the middle of 
the room behind the counter, sound and fast asleep. I looked at him fur a moment 
or two. and as he snored away I rapped loudly on the counter. .My noise awak- 
ened him and he sprang to his feet with his arms extended, as though he w^as 
expecting a bank robber." 

About the same time came the Lorbeer family, whose sterling character has 
made its favorable impress on church and town. Mr. Charles I. Lorbeer came first, 
in 1883, his mother, .Mrs. C. A. Lorbeer, and others coming later. The former 
with enthusiasm and high purpose threw himself into many of the town's best 
enterprises — the library, the schools, the new incorporation, the fight against 
li(|uor. He was for some years editor of the Pomona Proc/rcss, and when the 
storm against Chinese labor was at its height he was one of the prime movers and 
secretary (J. P. Camp being chairman) of the Steam Laundry then established. 
He was also one of the founders of the .Mutual Puilding and Luan .\ssociation. 

In lanuary, 1886. Ira F. White and Son. of \'acaville. Ixiuglu nut John John- 
ston's hardware store and began their long and solid business career, .\fter some 
years in retirement, the father has just been active in organizing the Pomona 
X'alley Pioneer Society. His son, Frank, is remembered by many as the inventor 
of improved ladders and clippers for fruit men, and of luany other devices, which 
be is now manufacturing on a large scale in Plainfield, X. J.' 

Doubtless a little search would bring to light old fences or buildings any- 
where in the X'alley, or stones upon the mountains, still bearing the inscription, 
"We Sell the l-iarth." Xo one who lived within forty miles of Pomona in the late 
eighties and early nineties will forget R. S. P.assett and his cheerful, indefaiigalilc. 
bustling way. as he burst into the town and began to sell i)ianos and other musical 
instruments, sewing machines and everything else, but esi)eciallv real estate. 
( )thers were associated with hiiu at times in real estate — James F. Tavlor. the 
engineer, and PVed J. Smith, the more conservative horticulturist — but llassett was 
the uni(|ue and superlative booster, both of his business and of the town. 

The shoe merchant, P. J. Tarr, will also be long remembered for his ingenious 
advertising as well as for his substantial place in business anil church and town. 
One day, after the coiuitryside had been startled by the legend api)earing every- 



1.1-' HISTORY AXn niOGRAPHY 

where, "Try Tarr cm Shoes," a stranger followed one of the numerous paths of 
black footprints wliich. coming from every direction, all led to Tarr's, and entered 
the store in great indignation. "Tve tried tar on my shoes and ruined them," he 
said. "1 want damages." Nor was his wrath appeased when shown th;it the 
advice was "Try Tarr on vShoes"' — not tar. 

.\notlier faniilw wliich has been conspicuous all through the history of the 
town, always exerting their influence and giving of their means for the highest 
life of the town is the Doles, formerly of I'angor, Maine, who came to F'omoua 
in 1887. J<ihn Dole arrived in the spring and his brother, William B. Dole, with 
his family, in the fall, lioth Vvcre stockholders in the People's Bank, which was 
organized that year, John Dole being one of its cashiers. The Congregational 
Church and Pom(.)na College owe much to their cordial and active support. Always 
prominent in Masonic circles, their place has been taken bv their brother, "Uncle 
.Albert" Dole, as he is affectionately called, and by .\rtlun', son of William 1!. Dole. 
The latter has also been most valuable in library and educational affairs of the city. 

From the time of his arrival in Pomona, in 1886, until he moved to Los 
,\ugelcs in 1''04, few men, if any, accomplished more in the building up of the 
town than did Stoddard Jess. Following his parents here from W'aupun, Wis., 
where he had been in the banking business with his father, and had risen to the 
post of mayor of the city, he at once identified himself with the progressive life 
of the city. Together with Carlton Seaver, he placed the First National Bank on 
its strong foundations: and he was one of the founders of the Mutual Building 
and Loan Association. On the side of good order in the contest for incorporation, 
he served as the city's first treasurer. The library, the cemetery, the L'nitarian 
Church were among the other interests which received his earnest support. Both 
Stoddard Jess and his father, George, built attractive homes in the midst of groves 
and flowers on Ellen Street (Park Avennei. 

Another strong factor in the building of the new town was C. E. Sumner, 
who came in 1882, after living a hermit life on government land in Live Oak 
Canyon, where he recovered his health, which had been impaired 1)V overwork. 
Now placing himself at once on the side of the forces making for a clean city, he 
threw his energies into the conflicts, to be described later, against the liquor deal- 
ers, and for an incorjioration which should establish good order. He was one of 
the framers of the first city charter ; then drew up the ordinance against the 
saloons which put them out of business. He was editor for some time, with W. 
D. Morton, of the J iines-Coiirier. and also served the city as city attorney, devot- 
ing his entire time to the office, on tlie munificent salary of $3.t a month! His 
marriage to the datighter of .\. R. Meserve has been mentioned. Not until after 
a long and faithful term of service for the city did he retire to Los Angeles to 
acquire a good practice and reputation in the legal profession there. 

There is one personalitv of the earlier days of whom one thinks with the 
deepest admiration — yes, and aiTection ; one who, like Barrie's "little minister," 
entered so many of the homes all over the Valley, with the healing of his profes- 
sional skill and the comfort of his rare sympathy. How many in sudden anguish 
of anxiety, or tossed on beds of pain, have felt the glad, intense relief that came 
when was heard the rapid beat of his horse's hoofs outside, and then when one 
looked into his deep, dark eyes. He spoke hut little, yet communicated volumes 
of helpfulness and courage. Steady and cool and skilful in the hour of crisis, his 
whole ambitii^n was of service to those in need, regardless of wealth or station. 
Once, when a man was buried by a cave-in of earth in a tunnel five or six miles 



lllSTokV AM) i;i()C.RAl'llV l.V> 

north ot luwn, and a message was sent him that a poor, nnkmiwn fellow was 
I)nried in the ground, wilhuut iiesitation. nor caring who iie was or wlietiier he 
could pay, he ran to his buggy and raced as fast as he could drive lo the spot, 
arriving long before it seemed possible for iiim to make it ; and then, jumping 
from the buggy before it had stopped, he had the man's tongue out ami was ajjply- 
ing every known means uf revival, even before the sufferer was (|uite released 
from imprisonment ; nor did he cease his etTorts till every chance was past, thuugli 
realizing, doubtless, from the first the (irobability that it was a hopeless tight. 
Never again. ])erhaps. will it be given to one man to minister so completely to the 
w he lie comnnniity as it was given to Dr. I'Vank Cjarcelon. the '"little doctor." wlm 
fullilled to the utmost his high calling and ])rivileges. 

"Time would fail" to mention the long list of other names of those who, 
even before 1890, were active in the upbuilding of the city, and whom some, doubt- 
less, would recall more vividly and with equal recognition of worth and service. 
There were \\ ill S. IJailey. the jeweler, who moved later to Los .\ngeles. and 
C C. Zilles, still relied u])on here as jeweler and watchmaker; I.. T. liishop 
and I. X. Sanborn, builder and mason, and l)oth builders in the Congre- 
gational Church: Judge Mvey, S. Caldwell, the druggist, and J. K. Talterson, 
still serving the public as undertaker ; Ramish and Cohu of the Peojile's Store, and 
I'adgham, and Minier. and Woody, the grocers; Col. George Roher and I'eter 
Fleming of the Sycamore Water Company, also mentioned later. 

Following the great boom oi lHS3-\Hi<7 came another period of (le])ression, 
as was true after the lesser boom of 1875-1876, when Pomona was begun. The 
general condition was not so acute, to be sure, nor was there such <lire di.stress at 
any ])oint : yet a number of concerns went to the wall; horse cars ceased to run, 
.some lines surrendering their franchise; families moved away, and hobos even 
fled the country. .\lso the well-to-do and the land-poor were hard put to it to tide 
over. Before the Loo])s sold their interest in the Loop and Meserve Tract to the 
Pomona Land and Water Company — a sale which, by the way, made jMissible their 
long journey abroad — Mrs. Loop used to say that they surely would have starved 
but for the lime hedge from which a picking of limes was always a possible dernier 
rcssort. 



CHAl'l KR SIX 

w\ii:r. [.Kiirr \\n i'owkr^ 

Turkic Sol'rcks oi' W'atkk — ()i,» Skttlicmk.nt W a tick — Canyon W\ii:i<^ 

ARTKSIAN WliLUS WaTICR CoXIl'ANlKS — TUNNKLS — CdNSIlKVATION — lu.KC- 

TRic Light and Powicr. 

Tlic history nf the (levcloinnoiit of water in the N'alley, and its conse(|UCnt 
i'(jrms of eiierj^y, Hght and power, so essential to our modern life, niitjln projierly 
fill a volume by itself. Such a history should be written by an expert who is 
familiar with both the techni(|uc and history of these subjects. Those who are 
best fitted, probably, to deal with the subject of water are Willis S. Jones, civil 
engineer and e.\])ort adviser for the county, in charge of all the conservation work 
now in progress in this section; II. J. Nichols, president of the Pomona Land and 
Water Company, and Fred I. Smith, formerly of the Citizens Water Comjiany. 
.\t a meeting of the Pomona \'alley Historical Society in October, 1*^6, Mr. Smith, 
in a paper entitled ■"The Coming of the Water," presented the most satisf.ictory 
Jiccount of this matter which has yet been prepared. Written from an intimate 
personal knowledge of the facts, with free access to relevant documents and in 
consultation with Mr. Nichols and Mr. Jones, authorities just mentione<!, and 
comjjiled with intelligent judgment, the paper was of such value as to be published 
in the Bulletin, and filed in the Pomona Public Library in a pamphlet entitled. 
"Early Days in Pomona." Freijuent and e.xtcnded use of this article is made in the 
following pages. 

A writer describing the resources of the \'alley in the very first issue of the 
Pomona Progress, in January, 188.^, rightly says: "The valleys and plains of 
Southern California are blessed with rich soil, but blessed indeed, twice blessed, 
is that land to which can be added abundance of water." .\s Mr. Smith says in 
the oi)cning paragrajih of "The Coming of the Water." "The importance of water 
to this X'alley may be realized by the statement that more than a million dollars' 
worth of orchards is at present dependent on every square mile of the San 
.Antonio watershed, twent\-seven and a half square miles in extent, from which 
primarily all our water is derived." .\fter the direct supply which falls over the 
\'alley in the form of rain, and which is largely absorbed either by surface vege- 
tation or by seepage down to the underground sn])i)lics, there are practically 
three sources of water supply. One of these is the stream in San .\nlonio 
Canyon; a second is fotuid, or was, in the cienegas where underlying impervioii;-. 
strata of the earth, cropping out or coming near the surface, have caused the 
water to appear in s|)rings; and the third source is artificial wells and tunnels bv 
which the water is brought to the surface through human agency, sometimes tlow- 
ing freely, as in the first artesian wells and tunnels, sometimes pumped bv hand 
or by wind, as in the earlier surface wells, but more often pumped from deep 
wells by gasoline or electric-driven engines, the latter flraining lower -ubter- 
raiiean levels. 

• thnplcr <IfaU only with llic Water. LiRtit .itnl I'uwcr fur llic Clnrcnmni atlil Poniona rr(jiitTt. 



136 1IIST()K^• AXn IMOGRAPIIY 

THE OLD SETTLEMENT WATER 

At first, of course, the Jndians ruid the Mexican settlers depended entirely 
uimn the springs and streams l)y which their rancherias and haciendas were 
naturally and necessarily built. Thus we find the Spanish settlement at the San 
Jo.se Hills beside the Paloniares cienegas and San Jose creek, the earlier \'ejar 
(later the Phillips) settlement and Spadra beside the springs and Arroyo Pedre- 
.goso and the San Jose Creek, and the Indian rancherias at the Martin and other 
cienegas. The normal rainfall usually sufficed in the lower parts of the \alley 
for pasturage for wide-ranging herds : also in the same regions for grain and 
some fruits. But for most fruits, notably for the citrus industry, for gardens 
and alfalfa, and esjjecially for the domestic use of growing cities, artificial sup- 
j)lies, development and conservation were imperative. The first movement in 
this direction was early in \H7?. when Lugarda Palomares, wife of Pancho, Cyrus 
Ihirdick and P. C. Tonner bought of Concepcion Palomares, wife of the grantee, 
"all the rights to the waters not heretofore granted,* arising on or flowing through 
the portion of the Raticho de San Jose" described in particular and including mo.st 
of the cienega land around the liase of tlie hills "together with the exclusive right 
to increase the amount of said water," only excluding a certain spring belonging 
to Francisco Palomares and his mother, and water to irrigate 100 acres of their 
land. This water right was secured not only for use on their own properties, but 
to supply the tract which they were suljdividing and placing on the market. In 
.April of this year the new company, called by every one "the company with the 
long name," bought this water right of the Palomares, Burdick, Tonner Company, 
with the exception of water sufficient for some fifty acres reserved especially 
to Durdick and Tonner. This reservation and that specified in the conveyances 
to Lopez and to Tomas and Francisco Palomares, before mentioned, constituted 
what was known as the "Old Settlenieiit Water." .Ml the sale of land in the 
Burdick .Addition carried with it proportionate shares in the "Old Settlement 
Water." Further rights of developing water on the Tomas Palomares property 
were purchased in Alarch. 1877, by owners in the tract. 

Except for these reservations the Los Angeles Lnmigration and Land Coop- 
erative .Association secured from I'rancisco and Lugarda Palomares, from Cyrus 
Burdick and P. C. Tonner all their water rights, and rights of develo])ment, and 
the right to "convey the water over the lands of the Rancho San Jose," trans- 
ferring these water interests then to a subsidiary corporation called the Pomona 
Water Company (not the Pomona Land and Water Company). Mr. Smith says 
that this company sunk a few shallow seven-inch wells at the head of the San 
Jose Creek, forty or fifty feet dee]), dug an upen cut in the cienega, and conveyed 
the water by open ditch to a reservoir in the center of Holt Avenue, a little east 
of San .Antiinio .\venue. There was at the time some controversy as to the owner- 
ship of this water as between the Immigration and \\ater Companies on the one 
j)art and the successors in interest of the Palomares family, who had acquired 
and were developing other tracts of land ou the other part. The few hundred 
acres sold by the Immigration Company were ill-supplied, and the few trees 
l)lanted sufifered and niostlv died, though a few orange trees survived both drought 
and frost, and lines of eucalv])tus on Ellen and (.ne or two other streets were 



*In M.TrcIi, 1869. Concepcinii Pnliimarcs, in deeding fifty acres to .lose I.opez. eiglity-ei.sjht to Toinns 
Palomares and 1S8 ncrcs to l-'raiicisco I'aloni.Tes, had also conveyed to each "right of water in the proportion 
that he is entitled, having (so many) acres." 



HISTORY AM) I'.K K'.KAl'llV 137 

tided over and {,'rc\v ti> a fjrcat liciglU before tlicy gave way tn mure intensive 
cultivation. 

As stated in the chapter, "neginiiings of Pomona. " tiie |)rivate surface wells 
were utterly inade(|iiate. 

CANM)N WATER 

When the Water Conijiany failed and was sold out liy tlu' slierill in 1X7X. 
their water rights. ])artly through V. C. 'J'onner. came into the hands of Louis 
Phillips, together with a large area of land which reverted to him. These were 
later purchased, directly or through Mills and Wicks, by the Pomona Land and 
Water Company after their organization in 1882, as previously exjjlained I'ut 
the Old Settlement and other waters of the San Jose Hills were only a part of 
the supply acquired by the new Land and \\ater Company. While greatly in- 
creasing this source of su])ply, they turned their attention also to the waters of 
San .\ntf)nio Canyon. 

Several references have been made to the open ditch whicli ran from the 
mouth of the canyon to the upper line of what was later the Loop and .Meserve 
Tract. This ditch, about seven miles long, was dug by Indians for ^'gnacio 
Palomares and his co-grantees to bring the water to the old San .\ntonio vinevard 
— "Iluerta de San Antonio." They claimed half the stream: but this claim was 
denied, openly by other jiroperty owners to the east, who dispute I their title, 
secretly by others who tapped the ditch along its course and led the water awav 
for their own use. and especially in a most practical way by the alders and other 
vegetation along the bank, by evaporation and by the seepage of the gravelly 
soil which claimed the lion's share. As to the title, the right of the Palomare- 
family and their associates to half the water, as claimed by reason of their 
S[)anish grants, as well as of continuous possession for fifteen years, was estab- 
lishetl by a judgment of the District Court in May. 187L This right was reaf- 
firmed by an agreement between the Pomona Land and Water Com|)anv and the 
San Antonio Water Company. As to the theft and waste, this problem also 
was effectively solved by the same company. When Messrs. C. T. Mills of 
(~)akland and M. L. Wicks of Los .\ngeles, the organizers of the Pomona Land 
and Water Com])any, purchased of Messrs. Loop anrl Mcscrve 7(X) or 800 acres 
of their tract, they also contracted for important rights in the waters of San 
Antonio, which Messrs. Loop and Me.scrve had purchaseil in their entiretv from 
the original grantees. At this time water amounting to an inch to ten acres was 
regarded as ample for the development of orchard property. P.ut the Land and 
Water Company agreed with Loop and Meserve to deliver to them water anviunt- 
ing to an inch to every eight acres. la\ing a jiipe line all the way from the can von 
for this purpose and keei)ing it in repair for ten years; in consiilcration for which 
the Lanil and Water Company were to have full title to all these water rights in 
the canyon in excess of the inch per eight acres clelivcrcd to the Loo|) and Meserve 
Tract. The construction of this line of sixtecn-incli concrete |>ipe was a big 
undertaking, but it was completed in about a year at a cost of SM.OOO. In this 
way all the lands of the Loop and Meserve Tract were provided with a good, 
permanent supply of water, and in addition some 500 acres nf land above the 
artesian belt were brought imder water, including the North Palomares Tract 
and the Richards orange lands. 

In 1885 a dam was built by Charles French for the Pomona Land and 
Water Company in the canyon for the measurement of the vator and for equal 



138 IIJSTURV AXD l!I()GR.\l'll\' 

division between Pomona and Ontario. Tn 18''0. miles of wooden flume by 
which tlie water was carried to the intake df the cement (Htcli from farther up 
the canyon, were washed nut. and were rt'|it.iced h\- the ciim]iaii\' with nmre cement 
pilie. at a further cost of some $10,000. 

Till' disposal of the surplus water which tlcjws frmn the canyon in the winter, 
and at times of heavy rain, is of great importance and is discussed later in this 
chapter under "Conservation." 

ARTESIAN WELLS 

The first artesian wells "that successfully developed flows of good commer- 
cial quantity." as Air. vSmith conservatively states, were those which Capt. A. J. 
Hutchinson and Francisco Palomares, as equal partners, bored during the years 
1877 and 1878 near the north edge of the Palomares cienega, two on Palomares' 
land and two on that of Captain Hutchinson, at tlie bend in Garey Avenue oppo- 
.iite the hospital. Mention has already been made of Captain Hutchinson, the 
Itnglishman who "was different" from other folks, with his garden surrounded 
1)^' a hoard fence, his tobacco and his pigs, his fine horses and his Chinese cook. 
We have also remarked that his well-borers were Engineer "Bill" Miflholland 
and Constable Slanker. Three of the four wells came in strong, the first at a 
depth of 285 feet. The success of Captain Hutchinson and Francisco Palomares 
in their venture encouraged others to invest more heavily in the same enterjDrise. 
"The next ten }ears," says Mr. Smith, "was an era of great development: capital 
flowed into water development in bonanza streams." The leaders in this develop- 
ment were the Land and Water Company, who, besides developing and conserv- 
ing the supplies from the Palomares cienega and from the canyon as describe^l 
above, began also that e.xtensive "campaign of artesian water development main- 
tained throughout the eighties that saw during this period seventy-five artesian 
wells drilled in the Palomares, Martin and Del Monte cienegas. and over forty- 
three miles of pipe laid down, and later, up to 1''14, put down forty-seven addi- 
tional wells, making a total of 141 wells drilled, which with the cost of distrib- 
uting pipe systems, called for a cash outlay of $190,323.70." A single item in this 
development was the reservoir east of town on Holt .\venue. built in 1884. with 
a capacity of 6,000,000 gallons. 

To distribute water for domestic use throughout the city the new company 
laid a complete system of iron pipe, furnishing an ample supply of water under 
good pressure to all the settled portions of the city. This was also done in Clare- 
mont. To handle the business of distribution two municipal companies were 
organized — the Pomona City \N'ater Works, covering the territory in Pomona, and 
the Union Water Company, covering the town of Claremont. 

"For the purpose of continuously distributing and controlling the irrigating 
water, the Land and \\'ater Companv organized four semi-independent corpora- 
tions, namely: The Irrigation Companv of Pomona, which supplied the lands 
through the southern and middle section of the Pomona territory to the amount 
of about 2, .^00 acres ; the Palomares Irrigation Company, which supplied aliout 600 
acres lying north of the lands covered by the Irrigation Com]iatiy's system; the 
Del Alonte Irrigation Company, which was to su]iply about 3,000 acres still 
farther north: and the Canymi Water Company, which was intended to supply 
the lands in the North Palomares Tract and portions of the Loop and Meserve 
Tract. To these several corporations the Land and Water Company transferred 



HISTORY AXl) I'.K H'.RAl'llV l.V) 

certain wells and other sdiirccs of water supply, togellier with interests in pipe 
systems liy means df wiiicii water could lie conveyed fmm the wells in the Innds 
to be irrigatcil therefrom; and as portions of these lands were sohl hy the com- 
pany, shares of stock in the several irrigation couipanics were transferred and 
issued to the land [)urchascr. so that ultimately the control of the water supply 
became vested entirely in the owners of the lands irrigated from that jiarlicular 
source. 

"The canyon water used to su|)ply a greater portion of the Loop and Mescrve 
tract was merged by the owners of the land and water rights into what is now 
known as the Canyon Water Company, and this company now manages the dis- 
tribution of the greater part of the San Antonio Canyon waters, the original 
Canyon Water Company organized by the Pomona Land and Water Companv 
having ceased its activities, and another cor])oration known as the North I'alo- 
mares Irrigation Company having taken over the distribution of irrigating water 
to the lands in the North I'aloniares Tract, and on certain other adjacent lands." 

In its conduct of an enterprise of such magnitude and power the Land and 
Water Comiiany and its subsidiary comjianies have been governed by certain princi- 
ples : the preservation of the integrity of the water sujijily which naturally belongs 
to a given section; a control of water develo|)nient which will guarantee clear, un- 
conflicting rights and title to certain and adequate sup|)ly, not in any given year or 
years but indefinitely; yet such private ownership and mutual direction as is con- 
sistent with the larger protective principles stated. 

In the meantime others were boring wells on the Loop and Meserve Tract 
farther cast. The first well was sunk by Samuel B. Kingsley in 1S83 on lot 27 of 
this tract, owned by Robert Cathcart. Water from this well was led to the 
"Kingsley Tract" of 3TO acres for domestic use. In 1886 Richard Gird secured 
the right to develop water on the Cathcart and Camj) lots and on that which C. C. 
lohnson had bought from Lopez west of Towne .\vcnue and north of the San 
Bernardino road. On the latter he sunk three wells producing over fifty inches, 
and on the former sixteen or seventeen more, yielding at the time 120 inches. 
Messrs. Cathcart and Camp received half of the water developefl, according to 
their contract with Gird ; the other half, together with the water from the Jolinson 
wells, went to Chino and furnished the chief supply for the domestic water 
system of the town and for irrigation on the Chino ranch. It is staled that "his 
expenditures for development of water in this district and the pipe line to Chino 
cost over $70,000." 

At the time when Kreil J- Smiih bought his KI X'erde ranch of II. K. W. 
Bent, between Tcnvne and San .\ntonio avenues and south of San Bernardino, he 
liad wishe<l rather to purchase Block 32 just north of this, rightly forecasting that 
it was in the artesian belt. He now effected an agreement with C. C. Johnson 
and with Mr. tlixon, who luid bought the block with development right";, for 
the drilling of a well on this block, just south of the north line. This yiel'led a 
good flow at only 180 feet. 

With their half of the water flowing from the Gird wells on Blocks 26 and 
27, J. B. Camp and Robert Cathcart combined with F. J. Smith and organized 
the Citizens Water Company. They then obtained a franchise from the city 
and installed a complete system of piping for the delivery of domestic water 
throughout the city, paralleling lines of the Land and \Vater Company, and 
jiroviding the town with a competing water supply. With the steady growth of 
the community, the supply did not greatly exceed the consumption and the rates 



UO I1IS'I"( )\<\ A\l) I'.K )('.KAI'll^' 

were low. As Mr. Smith says, "It is interesting to note in this connection that 
for seven years the two domestic water companies snppHeil the city of Pomona 
with water at one-thin! of the rates prevaiHng in Sontliern Cahfornia cities, 
donating to them in this way abont ,$100,000; both companies finally selling their 
pipe lines to the incorjiorators of the Consolidated Water Company." 

."^till anotlicr group of artesian wells was drilled by John E. I'ackard (jn the 
Dunne Tract, from which he obtained alxmt sixty inches of water. From this 
sonrce he snpplied the snbdivision of his eighty-acre vineyard tract with domestic 
water, and also his 4,^0-acre orange grove with water for irrigation. 

TUNNELS 

Thus far we h;ive considered the sources of water in the canyon stream, in 
(lowing cienegas, and in artesian wells. There remains the development of water 
by tunnels. Last in our consideration, it is not last in importance, nor in point 
of time, for the tunnels east of Indian Hill were opened in the early eighties and 
furnish a large part of Pomona's domestic water supply. 

The man who began the development of water from this source and who 
remaineil until his death an active leader in the water activities of the \'alley 
was I'eter Fleming. Being identified especially with the earlier days of Clare- 
mont, fuller reference is made to him in that connection. Some time after he 
had moved from Spadra to his place east of Indian Hill called Sycamore Ranch, 
and while conducting successfully his bee ranch there, Mr. Fleming became 
interested in the problem of water development, and decided to run a tunnel 
northward into the bed of the wash which here rises rapidly. lie bought the 
water rights on the Kessler jjlace to the east and began work. Many regarded 
the venture a foolish one. But at length a good How of water was developed 
which now sujiplies over 400 acres of citrus fruit orchards. In combination with 
J. A. Packard on Section Three and Colonel Roher on Section Two, the Syca- 
more Water Development Company was formed to handle this water. Later 
there was a reorganization, James Becket joining Fleming, and landowners who 
had acquired water interests from the Sycamore Company forming the Mountain 
\ iew Water Company. Fleming and Becket proposed to furnish water for the 
town of (jlendora, and bonds were voted to buy the water, but through a tech- 
nicality the bonds were invalidated and the project failed. 

The ne.xt chapter in the story of water development is on the Consolidated 
Water Company, but being quite recent it may be briefly told. Without entering 
iiUo the circumstances of its formation, it may be said that J. T. Brady and G. A. 
Lathro]! joined Fleming and Becket in organizing the Consolidated W ater Com- 
pany. Incorporating" the first of .August, 189(), with a capitalization generously in 
excess of the valuation of tlie properties which they proposed to absorb, they 
issued bonds and bought out both the Citizens Water Company and the Pomona 
City Water Works, absorbing also the holdings of Fleming and Becket. Peter 
Fleming was made superintendent of the company and so continued as long as 
he lived. This com|)any has since extended its tunnel east of Indian Hill, 5,000 
feet in length, and reaching a depth of 110 feet below the surface at its upper 
end, giving a 17.^-inch supply irum this alone. 

"The Consolitlated Water Company," says Mr. Smith, "now has water 
resources of 450 inches, sufficient for a population of 20,000 people, and a dis- 
tributing system of seventy miles of pipe." He also records that "Another tunnel 



IIISToin- AXIJ llKxiRAl'llV 141 

enterprise was constructed at a cost of $35,000 by Josiali Alkirc. ami ficvelnpeil 
sixty inches of water. 'J'iiis cuts the southwest wall of the ral<iniares ciene,t,'a 
dyke on the Kenoak Tract, the water heing used for many years as an additional 
supply for the Packard orange grove tract." 

CONSERVATION 

Notwithstanding that it follows long after Ihe main period of this hisii>r\-. 
the story of water develnjiment in the east valley may very properly he rounded 
out by the ^iitiun from Mr. Smith's "Coming of the Water." which is reproduceil 
in toto : 

"The heavy draught of all these wells and tiumcls. together with nthers not 
named, on the cienegas and underground waters of the tlistrict, so lowered the 
water plane in the early nineties that ])um|)s liad to be installed. .\ cvclc of drv 
years between IS'J.^ri and I'W-.^ emphasized the fact that wc were drawing on 
our water cajjital an<l that something must he done Ic^ even up the account. 

"There was but one niethod of redeeming the situation. 

"Tentative exi)eriments as early as 18').5 had shown tiiat the lion 1 waters in 
wiiuer si)read above the tunnels north of Claremont had brought beneficial results, 
but no systematic work was done until 190.^, when much larger amounts of flood 
water were diverted and arrangements made to establish more definite spreading 
areas. Larger ditches were constructed, but no permanent work of any kind 
was undertaken. 

"Encroachments that were being made on the iiasin led to the form;ition of 
tlie Pomona X'alley Protective .\ssociation in I'JOX. This is a volimtarv associ- 
ation composed of mutual water companies and individuals, together with two 
public utility corporations representing 1.800 miner's inches out of a possible 2.600. 
It was organized for the purpose of preventing encroachments on the water supply 
and conserving all the flood waters of the canyon tributary to the underground 
waters of the district. It has been a pioneer in Southern California in spreading 
flood waters on the gravel cones below canyon mouths, and if not the largest 
factor in water development in the Pomona \'alley. it has greatly enlarged and 
extended the results of development along other lines, and proved of immense 
value in conserving the flood waters, placing them where they would become 
gradually available where needed on the lands below. The association acquired 
title to 650 acres of waste land on whicli 10.000 to 15,000 inches can be taken in 
ditches along the crest of the ridges, from which the water is fanned out over 
tile brush-covered surface, sinking so rajiidly that on good spreading land an 
acre will absorb 100 inches of constant flow. 

"The benefits that have followed sjireading <iperations can best be under- 
stood when it is remembered that for thirteen years prior to 1017 the Martin 
and Del Monte cienegas had not flowed. Conservation in l'^04-5 and I'XK'i 
brought them back, and in tiic winter of 1007-8 they flowed 335 inches. The 
Martin cienega contiiuied to flow until 1012. when ]>umping was again resumed 
and continued until 1015. and today there is 225 inches flowing from the Martin 
cienega wells, .\gain, in 1014, by spreading operations, the water plane was 
raised in the territory above Claremont an average of about forty feet. From 
February to June in 1015 it was raised still higher, and for about 100 days an 
average of about 2.000 inches was spread, or 4,800.000 inch hours that would 



142 ^TIST()R^' AXi:) iuograpitv 

lia\i.' i;i)iu' to waste if it had nut liecn diverted and sprea<l npun the gravels near 
the moutli of the canyon. 

"In l'M6 the actual conservation work averaged 3.000 inches tor a hke period, 
or 7,200,000 inch hours, worth to the community, at one cent per inch an hour, 
$72,000, and a total value for the years 1914-15-16 would aggregate more thar. 
$170,000 in water alone, not considering the reduction in cost of producing on 
account of increased flow from tunnels and artesian wells and reduced lift on 
account of the water plane being higher. 

"In 187.^ the ct)mbined water resources of the \'alley would not have sustained 
400 acres of citrus fruits: today over 8,500 acres largely devoted to citrus fruits 
draw a sufficient sujjply from the water developed and conserved on tliis side of 
the San Antonio wash. The cienega wells are flowing, the water jilane is high, 
and the groves can face the future with confidence that in the annual draught on 
the water they are not overdrawing their capital, and that they stand prepared to 
meet a long dry spell if it should come again. Truly it has been a peri(id of won- 
derful and intelligent development that has made the future of the Pomona \'allev 
full of promise, and has placed this \'alley in the forefront of all citrus fruit- 
growing sections of the State." 

ELECTRIC LIGHT AND POWER 

Two of the large public utility enterprises which began in the last century 
are those of the gas and the electrical companies, the former organized in 1887, 
and the latter in the early nineties. Before the days of the Southern California 
Edison Company, a company was formed to transform the water power in San 
.Antonio Canyon into electric current of high voltage and transmit this to the 
Valley for use in lighting and power. The idea of transmission of power over 
so great a distance was new in this countiy, anil was conceived by C. G. Baldwin, 
then president of Pomona College. Through his energy the San Antonio Liglu 
and Power Company was organized, with a cajiital of $75,000, and the plant 
established. Much pioneer work had to be done. A long tunnel was run through 
"Hogsback," and high voltage lines were strung to Pomona. At first the current 
was used niainl\- for electric lights in Pomona an<l Clarcmont. Much of this first 
work has been abandoned or replaced as the science of electrical engineering has 
advanced, and the first company was taken over by others: still it was a bold and 
valuable piece of pioneer engineering, the first really long-distance transmission 
of power in this country and one of the first in the world. 

The history of the later electric companies, especially of the Southern Cali- 
fornia Edison Company, which now supplies the \'alle\' with electric light and 
power, is well known. 

The growth in lioth these industries has been enormous. When the Gas 
Company was first organized in 1887, it laid pipes for local distribution through 
the business part of the town only. Air. Albert Dole, long president of the com- 
pany and interested in the enterprise from his first coming, says that wdien he came, 
in 1893, they were manufacturing about 20,000 cubic feet a day. For some vears 
the business was taken over by the Edison Company: but in P'16 gas and elec- 
tricity were again separated with the advent of the Southern Counties Gas Com- 
pany. The pnxluction of gas has increased from 250,000 feet at that time to the 
present output t)f 2,600,000 feet daily in the "Pomona district." which includes 
also v'san Dimas, La \'erne, Claremont, I plmd. ( )iitario, Chiiio. Co\ina, Glendora 



lllSTokN' AM) r.KK'.KAI'in' 1-1.1 

ami Aznsa, bcsidos an avcragi." of fiOO.OOO ft-ft wliith is sfiit to San i'.crr.ardino 
Ci>iiiity. 

A lar{,'cr ami more recent history should narrate nmre fully the heyinniiiK 
and rcmarkahle ijrowth through many vicissitudes, of the Home 'IVleiihone (."onv 
pany. organized ahcut l''(\?. and hecoming quickly an iiulispcnsable piihlic iitilitv. 
with an unusually large proportion of the population in this region enrolled as 
subscribers. In all its history, Mr. D. S. Parker, now superintendent, has been 
the most active defender of the company's interests ami so of the iniblic. 



CHAPTER SEVEN 

INDUS rRii;s oi i iii-. \•,\I,l.l•;^■ 

Sl'AI>K.\, Pl-KNTi: AM) Tin: CiKAIN CtllNTUV — SpADKA Al-TKU Tlli: RaM.WAV — 

Iamks M. I'kvkr. F. M. Si.ArGHTKK and Si:naT(ik CrKRii-u— Xinkyakd Axr) 
( )rciiari) — NrncrLirKK — Dkcidiois Kkiits — ( )i.i\ i: Cri.riKi:— ( )i(ANr.Ks 

AND Li:mi).\S — Cl'dl'ICRATIVK M AKKKTI NT. — I'.ISINKSS AM) M AN lI'ACTrRi: — 

Pomona Manii-actvrinc. Ch.mi-any — Uisinkss — Hanks. 

While Pomona was bciomiiis,', and the newcomers were developinc; water and 
laving the foundations of the citrus industry, the south country kept sleadilv on 
producing the great staples, grain and ha\' and live stock, as it hail been doii'"' 
for two generations, and for whicli its bottom lands, near to the underlying watt- 
strata, were especially adapted. This is true of all the land near the southern 
hills, and the large feed marts of Ilicklin and C.raljer and Smith, of Wright and 
of Ilinnian, have been supplied from the broad alfalfa and grain fields south of 
Pomona; yet the towns of Puente and Sjiadra lead in this tlieir largest prndiuliDU. 

SPADR.A. PUKNTK AM) IHE GRAIN COUNTRY 

The fertile fields to the west of the San Jose Hills and stretching northward 
from the Puente Hills — Las Lomas de la Puente — have been, since the first crops 
harvested by the Workmans and Rowlands, the great granary of this region. 
When the Southern Pacific Railroail came out and built its station, a large ware- 
house was erected and a little hamlet grew up at this point. Then as the early 
eighties brought new people and new activity all about, and the district bade fair 
to become a populous one. a real townsite was projected. Two men. Mr. H. Iv 
Pomcroy and >Fr. G. W. Stimson, in 188.^. purchased 2,36 acres from the Rowland 
Ranch, north of the Southern Pacific Railroad and east of the .\zusa Road, and 
organized tlie Puente Townsite Company, the directors of the incorporation in- 
cluding, besides these men, .\lbert and William R. Rowland and .\. .\mar. Sub- 
ilividing about fifty acres, they laid pipes for the distribution of water from tho 
.San Jose Creek. There was then a population in the district of about four hini- 
dred. In the store of I'nruh an<l Carroll the i)ost office was located, with H. P. 
Carroll as postmaster. Other stores were those of J. P>ellomini. and Grimaud & 
Reaumbau. .X fine hotel was built called the Hotel Rowland, whose outlook over 
the N'alley and toward the mountains was unsurpassed. Tributary to this center, 
at least in part, was a large territory, including the 25.000 acres of the Rowland 
estate and 24,000 more which Lucky Pialdwin had secured when he purchased the 
Workman interests. P.esides the E. J. Baldwin warehouse of 140,000 sacks 
capacity, there was the F. J. Gilmore warehouse holding 120,000 .sacks: on the 
l)astures were 30,000 head of sheep of Lucky P>aldwin, and other thousands on 
tlie broad lands of Francisco Grazide. The produce shippcfl from the Puente 
Station in 1S86 amounted to 126 carloads of wheat, sevcnty-ciglit of barley and 
hay, besides fjuantities of jiotatocs. wool and wine. In addition to this wer(^ 



146 HISTORY AND RIOGRAPIIV 

smaller quantities of oil and oranges, for a few orchards had been planted, and 
the first of the oil wells which have so enriched this region had been bored. 

Hitherto we have followed the history of Spadra down to the coming of 
the Southern Pacific Railroad, noting the chief events which marked its progress — 
the arrival of Ricardo \ ejar, one of the grantees under the Mexican Government, 
the foreclosure by Schlesinger and Tischler, the acquisition of half the rancho by 
Louis Philli()s, and the beginnings of the village with the coming of the Rubottom 
and Fryer families. 

The completion of the railroad to Spadra and the arrival of the first train 
were memorable events in the \'alley, and many drove in to witness it from all 
the country around, some of whom had never before seen a locomotive. It was 
the meeting of the railway and the stage, literally and figuratively. Stages con- 
tinued to run between Spadra and San Bernardino. On the very day when the 
first train came. J. J. Reynolds (so it is reported) driver of the eastern stage 
coach, stepping into the railway coach — a small, bare car with seats along the 
sides — thrilled the passengers and others with the account of his trip, in whicli 
he had barely escaped from the attack of highwaymen. 

The railway provided, of course, an easier market for the grain and hay, 
but Nadeau's stages still continued to carry quantities of freight, and his cara- 
vansary in Los Angeles, which occupied the block between Fort (Broadway) and 
Spring streets on First, with the adobe on the corner antl the board fence all 
about, was still a deput for many travelers. 

As the terminus of the railway for two years, Spadra was also an important 
depot, the most important station between Los Angeles (or perhaps El Monte) 
and San Bernardino. The new townsite of Pomona was a standing joke in this 
terminal city. It was called generally "Monkeytown," and a certain lady is now 
often "joshed" because of an incident which occurred iluring the first boom of 
1876. A young man who had been working for the railroad was about to leave 
for the East, and came to settle with this young woman, whom he owed about 
five dollars for washing which she had done for him. I'.ut he had very little 
money, and what he had he needed for the journey. So he urged her to accept 
in payment a deed for two lots in the new townsite of Pomona. Reluctantly 
she was consenting, when her father interposed, "\Miat do you want of those 
lots? They aren't worth the paper and print of the deed. Besides vou'll always 
have to be paying taxes on them." So she refused to take for her five-dollar 
washing bill a deed to two of the lots on which the Consolidated Railway Station 
of Pomona now stands! Even so good an authority as Lippincott's Gazetteer, 
as late as in the earlv nineties, defined Pomona as a small village two miles east 
of Spadra. 

With the railway came new settlers and new activity. Mr. A. B. Caldwell 
bought out Long and Swift, who had for a long time kept the .store and saloon 
opposite Rubottom's, and the cutting and shooting which had been so common 
here passed into story. Here one of the Lillys, a quiet Southerner, soon after his 
coming to Spadra had killed Ben Standi fer when the latter, at some fancied insult, 
iiad called f(ir an apology with a cut of a whip. Here the poor old Englishman. 
Furness. had drunk himself to death, ()nly wishing to live as long as his last legacy 
of a thousand dollars held out. Here acquaintances of Long, knowing of his 
superstition and troubled conscience for having assisted Furness in the fulfilmen' 
of his wish, as they sometimes charged him, would enjoy his startled look and 
pale face when, someone having rolled a ball or stone over the floor of the back 



^ls^()K^ am) l•.l()(■.K.\l'll^■ 147 

room in tlic evening, they would whisper, "Ilark, what was tliat?" "It must he 
old I-'uriiess stiunhling ahout." Mr. Caldwell was soon appointed postmaster and 
served until his place was taken by Mr. James M. Fryer. 

.\fter Charles lilake had died, George Egan bought a place opposite the 
Fryers and built his larger store, a part of which, as we have seen, was moved 
later to PomoTia. About the time George Kgan moved his store to Pomona, 
another family moved from Pomona to Spadra. Robert Arnett, a Southern gen- 
tleman who had come across the plains to California in 1853, and had engaged in 
farming and teaching in the northern part of the state, had been for a time farm- 
ing on land which he rented from Palomares and \'ejar. Ihit in 1.S74 he came 
with his family to Spadra and identified him.self with this town. lie soon bought 
fifty acres of land and became one of the producers in the N'allev of hav and 
grain and stock. Two of his daughters married sons of the pioneer, Richard C. 
I'ryer. Ella was married to Henry Fryer, wlio later moved to I'omona, and 
Isabel was the loved and respected wife of James M. Fryer. 

Though not a newcomer but the son of an old-timer, James M. FVycr w-as 
a powerful factor in the new life of the town, as indeed he has always been. On 
his ranch, which has increased from fifty to over a hundred acres, he has also 
added to the products of Spadra quantities of grain and hay, and later a consider- 
able output of oranges and walnuts. But his chief contribution and service to 
the town and X'alley have been as a leader in its civic, intellectual and spiritual 
'life. .Xn efficient postmaster for nearly two decades, a devoted member and 
director of the school district for over forty years, from its organization until, 
a short time ago, his son, Roy Fryer, was elected in his stead, and chairman of 
the board of trustees in the P.aptist Church since its present organization, he lias 
accomplished a work and enjoyed a reputation which are rare indeed, in this or 
any place. 

There were others, of course, who came to Si)a(Ira in the seventies and 
eighties and contributed to its progress, but of whom wc can not tell here. Some 
were residents of Spadra for a longer or shorter time and then moved awav, like 
A. H. Tufts who came in 1873 and has since been engaged successfullv in the 
real estate and insurance business in Pomona, or like Peter Fleming, who was 
later identified with Clarcmont and Pomona, as told in other chapters. 

There arc two other men, whose names are especially associated with Sjjadrr. 
and the grain lands near the Southern Hills, but who.se range of activitv and 
inlluence has been far more than local. The first is Hon. FentOTi M. Slaughter, 
who came to California from X'irginia with the "forty-niners," and made his "pile" 
in the gold mines. He lived for a lime in San Gabriel, but moved in the later 
sixties to his ranch near Chino. He was one of Fremont's men for a time, so it 
is said: and it is reported that Fremont's band of picked men were all required 
to pass a certain test. Choosing a comrade for the test, he helil a four-inch shingle 
in his hand while his comrade fireil a bullet through it at a range of sixtv vards. 
and then they exchanged jilaces and he shot at the shingle in his comrade's hand. 
.-\t any rate it was not a difficult feat for Slaughter, who was still a good shot 
wlien old and feeble. A gold watch and chain, the gift of Colonel Fremont, 
were worn by Mr. Slaughter with special pride. On his ranch east of the Chino 
he was engaged largely in raising grain and stock. A familiar figure at Spadra, 
at the Spanish .settlement and even in Los Angeles, he was a friend of all the 
old settlers and Mexicans, known an<l liked by every one for his geniality and 
liis happy way of spinning yarns. He married the Senorita Dolores, a daughter 



lAS HISTORY WD l',l( lOR M'lIV 

of I'ranciscd AKai'Miln. as noted elsewhere, and a ilant^liter of his i>- the wife of 
Lew Meredith, the foreman of W'ilham R. Rowhind's ranch at I'uente. llis 
election as a representative to the state legislature from San Bernardino County 
\va> a recognition of his standing and influence in the region. 

'J'he other figure of more than local interest is Senator A. T. Currier. Flis 
large ranch of 2,-100 acres is second only to the lands of Louis Phillips in its pro- 
duction of grain and citrus fruits, of cattle and other products. Pjorn in Maine 
nearly eighty years ago, he has been for fifty years a prominent figure not only 
in Spadra but in the county. His ranch, located on the fertile lands bordering 
the San Jose Creek east of Spadra, has yielded abundant crops and has fed and 
bred the finest stock in return for his careful attention. Ilis marriage to "Aunt 
Sue," the widow of Jame^ Rulmttoni, who came tn l'"t .Monte as Susan Glenn in the 
pioneer davs. h.a^ been mentirmeil before, as well as the universal affection in 
which she is held ]i\ all who have known her. fu Pomona as well as in Spadra 
he has e.xerted a striing influence, assisting materially in many important enter- 
])rises, and especially as a director in the First National P>ank and a trustee in 
the P.aptisl Church, .\fter holiling various offices in town and county, his public 
service was crowned, though not completed, in his election to the state senate. 
Always well and vigorous, he has led a busy life directing the affairs of his ranch 
and looking after investments in Pomona and I^os Angeles. That in which he 
takes the greatest satisfaction is probably the Los .\ngeles Farmers Mutual Lisur- 
ance Company, which he helped to organize twent}- years ago and has directed ' 
with signal success. 

VINEYARD AND ORCHARD 

Southern California is the natural abode of viticulture and horticulture. Soil 
and climate and water are all that could be desired. But man must contribute 
llis share in labor and attention, for the highest development in these arts. Li 
the earlv da\s nature alone, with a mininnnn of assistance from man, yielded her 
increase in flocks and herds and feed and grain. These staple products, as we 
have seen, are still a large factor in the country's wealth. P>ut the whole \'alley 
has been transformed as vineyard and orchard have covered a large part of its 
surface. Demanding less water and cultivation than some other fruits, and more 
resistant than some to extremes of weather, the grai)e was the first to receive 
large attention, and the Valley promised well to fulfill its part in making the 
Southwest the riwd of the Mediterranean countries, whose mountain slopes and 
highland ])lateaus. clotheil with leagues upon leagues of vineyard, furnish the wine 
and grapes of the world. Now viticulture in Southern California is fast becom- 
ing a lost art. Deciduous fruits were next to receive attention on a large scale. 
Hundreds of acres of deciduous fruits of all kinds have been set out in the Valley, 
and the growing of these fruits is firmly established as a permanent and profitable 
industrv, notwithstanding many acres of trees have been grubbed out to make 
place for citrus fruits. Gradually for a time, rapidly of late, the citrus fruits 
have crowded out the others, until now the orange and lemon dominate the field. 
.\n(l this supremacy of the citrus fruits is in spite of the fact that they require 
more than others the attention of the grower to supplement the gifts of nature, 
in timely irrigation and cultivation, in fertilizing, in i)rotection from harmful 
disease and pest, as well as in successful marketing. The same intelligent pains 
which are required in the raising and marketing of citrus fruits, it may be re- 



I11SI"( »KV AND I'.IOC.KArilV 14'^ 

marked, liavc also been well rcw arded wlicn tlicy have been given to producing an 
extra clioice article in any other kind of fruit, or of nut or berry. 

In their home gardens the Mexican settlers had begun early to raise wine 
grapes and fruits of every kind, and though only in a very small way, they 
ilemonstrated the possibility of future development. Perhaps the first vineyard 
in the \'alley was the "iruerta de San .\nt<inio" mentioned in the will of 'S'gnncio 
Talomares. on what became the Loop place on Central .\venuc west of Clare- 
mont, and to which water was led in an open ditch from San .\nlonio Canyon. 
When Messrs. Loop and Meservc bought their tract of 2,000 acres they set out 
thousands of grapevines of many kinds, including raisin and table grapes, as 
well as Mission and other wine grapes, imporling choice varieties from abroad. 
Practicallv all the earlier settlers in the \'alley planted vineyards, amounting alto- 
gether to hundreds of acres. In the early eighties the enterprije received fresh 
im|)etus by the large plantings of Fred J. Smith on his El \erde ranch, of ]. A. 
Packard on his eighty acres further south, and a little later of Carlton Seaver 
and George W. McClary on their <|uarter section north of Claremont. 

The largest part of the acreage in vinej'ards was planted to Mission grapes, 
a variety cs])ecially suitable for wine. To dispose of the ])roduct of this large 
acreage of vines, large wineries were needed, with their great vats and presses 
and storage cellars. The first winery was built in 1885 by Mr. W'estphall and 
Mr. G. ^Iirande, a man of long experience in the making of wine in Southern 
France, who erected the large brick building opposite the Kerckholif-Cuzner lumber 
vards on Park .\venue and made about 6 000 gallons of wine the first season. In 
the year 1885 more than 800 acres of vineyard were planted in the Pomona rej»ion. 
and in the season 1886-1887 500,000 vines were set out. .\ writer on "Fertility 
and Productiveness of the Soil." in 1885, stated that "next to the wine grape the 
raisin is the most imjiortant product of the \'alley." 

In September, 1886. the Pomona Wine Company was organized with George 
W. McClary as president and Fred J. Smith as secretary, and this company 
bought out Westphall and increased the capacity of the winery. Pelieving thai 
the future of the industry was assured and unable to care for the increasing 
product of the vineyards. Sir. I. .\. Packard and his son, J. E. Packard, who were 
the largest stockholders in the company, urged a still further expansion, and 
exjjcrts in viticulture endorsed their judgment. Ilencc a large addition was built 
and the cellars stored with wines maturing for future markets. Those were the 
golden days, as it seemed, for growing grapes in this country, when in vintage 
lime the vineyards were full of workers gathering the clusters in loose boxes, 
vhen hundrecls of wagons daily stood waiting at the winery to empty their loads, 
of grapes into the press, when later in the season the iron wagons slowly and 
.smokily made their way across the vineyards, leaving their trail of ash behind 
as they burned the trimmings from the vines. 

Put while the wine press was flowing and the vats and cellars were filled 
with California's choicest wines, gold was not flowing into the jtockets of the 
stockholders nor were the coffers of the company filling with coin. The wine 
market was most effectually controlleil by the great dealers ;md >i)eculators of the 
northern and eastern capitals. Eventually the prices must fall to the ba>is of the 
European markets, where after all the great supplies of the world are h.uidled, 
and where "all the world" <lrinks wine as we drink water. So the winery was 
clo.scd, and in time the vine\ard< were replaced with orchards. 



150 I-IIS'I'ORV AM) r.lOCRAIMlV 

In a few in-.tances Vav^c (|uantitiL'S of grape.^ have liccn used in the manu- 
facture of grape juice, and the El \ erdc grajie juice was recognized in New 
York, where it found a ready market, as the choicest in the world. 

DECIDUOUS FRUITS AND WALNUTS 

There was a time when it appeared as if the chief production of the Valley 
was to he deciduous fruits of various kinds. The five and ten-acre tracts sur- 
rountling I'omnna were largely covered with apricots, ])eaches, pears and prunes. 
The country was green in summer with their foHage. hut hrown and hare in 
winter wdien the trees had shed their leaves. In the fall of the year acres of 
groimd were covered with trays of drying fruit, l)oth in private orchards and on 
land surrounding the canneries. Some of the fruit was canned, but more of it 
was dried. There was much difference in the C|uality of the product, fruit which 
was exposed to dust and insects as well as to all sorts of weather, and vuibleached, 
being quite i)oor ; while that of those wdio took much pains in the time and char- 
acter of the exposure and in the bleaching was excellent. C. E. White and J. J. 
W bite, the Dole brothers and the Muirs, .\. G. Whiting, I-'rank Evans and W. T. 
.Martin were among the larger growers. 

One year, about 1890, there was an unusual!}- heavy cro|) of prunes, which 
sold at an average of fifty dollars a ton — a fancy price in those days. IJowever, 
it jiroved to be a great misfortune, for there followed a large planting of prune 
trees, ten and twenty acres at a time in a good many instances; but the market 
would not take the fruit and many acres of trees were grubbed out after years 
of loss. 

r>ut for the ])ecuhar adaptability of the \'alley for the higher-priced citrus 
fruits, and the advanced methods of cooperati(in in their marketing, the deciduous 
fruits might still be the leading horticultural product of the Valley. Even now 
the a]5plication of the same principles, learned in citrus fruit growing, has stimu- 
lated the growing of deciduous fruits so that it is likely to remain a most im- 
jjortant second industry. 

The development of walnut growing to an important place, second only to 
that of citrus fruits in some parts of the Valley is of more recent date. 

OLIVE CULTURE 

Like the h(.)ly land of I'alestine in its location beside a w^estern sea, like the 
Italian and .Algerian coasts in the dependence of its fertile soil upon the waters 
from lofty mountain ranges towering behind, like .Andalusian or Catalonian 
v^pain, or the Riviera, in its matchless climate. Southern California also resembles 
all these lands which face the .Mediterranean, in its horticultural pursuits. Here, 
too, the vine, the orange, and especially the oli\'e, find a natural home. While the 
citrus fruits here have found a larger market and the olive has not received the 
same fostering care, yet is this X'alley just as truly the home of the olive as of 
the lemon and the orange, the grapefruit and the lime. 

In writing of "( )livc Culture"'^ over thirty years ago, Mr. C. E. Loop, than 
whiim there has been no better autlKjrity ])roba1)ly in this \'alley, says: 

"iM'oni the earliest days the olive has been invested with a peculiar interest. 
Originating in the distant East uhere tradition locates that earthly paradise, the 



•Article ill l^miunui IMogress of Marcli 5, 1887. 



IIISTORV AM) UK )(".k.\l'in' 131 

("•ardcn of luleii. it has remaineil tlicre lo siislain, satisfy and ^laddt-ii successive 
HCiieratums, and also hccn carried by man as sonicthiu}:; essential to his comfort 
and pleasure, through all his wanderings and journeyings westward to even our 
own fair land u|ion the shores of the western sea." 

lie writes of the prominence of the olive, ami especially of olive nil. in 
sacred writings, in the ceremonies of the Mosaic ritual, in the anointing of Ilehrew 
|)riests and kings, also in the literature of mythology. "Sacred to Minerva, it 
was to the |)olishe(l (^ireek of those early .days an emhlem of ])eace and cli;islily. 
In the Olympic games, this was the highest ])rize with which to cmwn a victor 
with glory and reverence." Some olive trees in the l-last have grown to a great 
si7.e. with a diameter of fifteen feet, and must be very old. Writing of their 
great age. Mr. Loop refers to a tree in the garden of the X'atican ^aid to he a 
thousand years old. 

In Italy, France and Spain 8.000.000 acres arc devoted to olives: and the tree 
is highly prized by rich and poor alike. "Tlie jioor retain their trees if iiossible," 
says Mr. I.oo|>. "when obliged to sell their homesteads." 

The .Mission fatliers. as we know, planted the first olive trees in the \'alley, 
and the first Mexican settlers in this X'alley also set out a few trees in their gar- 
dens. Mere and there a little group or line of these trees still stands, sjiared from 
the greedy axe by a rare veneration for its age and associations. 'I'lure was one 
such line of ancient trees on the Loop (ilace where formerly was the "Hucrta de 
San .\ntonio." .\nother group still grew till recently, east of the old I'alomares 
house on the Meserve ])lace. Next to these were the olive trees of the lUirdick 
l)lace planted in the early seventies. But olive cidture on a considerable scale was 
introduced, as has been said liefore. l)y Rev. C. F. Loop. In 1876 he ])lanted some 
well-rooted cuttings of the "Mission" variety, "giving them all necessary care 
and attention." In 1884 he gathered his first full crop. In the meantime he had 
made a special study of curing and marketing iheni. had begun a nursery of young 
trees, with new varieties which he brought from the Mediterranean, as well as 
with the old Mission stock. Led by his enthusiasm, as well as by the undoubted 
excellence of his olive products, many were induced to set out olive groves. John 
Calkins and lames L. 1 lowland were the leaders in the new industry. It was the 
center of the world for olive cuttings, in the growing of which Calkins' nursery 
took the lead. On his seventy acres, south of the Meserve place, in the Loo]) and 
Meserve Tract, "Larry" How land set out twenty acres to olive trees and started 
thousands of trees from cuttings in his nursery which for a time was the largest 
in the San Jose X'alley. In the second season. 1S8(:-1887, he sold .^.000 olive trees. 
In all this he was aided by Mr. Loop, from whom he secured chietly his stock and 
his knowledge as well as his ins])iration. l'|) to this time there had been no manu- 
facture of oil in this region, the cured olive being tlie only jiroduct. and the curing 
was usually by the sini])le process of long soaking of the cut olives in water fre- 
quently changed till the bitterness was removed, after which they were kept in 
salt water. Mr. I lowland also marketed large (|uanlities. but cured b\- the Ive 
jirocess instead of with fresh water, anil from fruit allowed to color, as the custom 
nf)w is, instea<l of from fruit jiicked green as in Kurojje. I lis best product, how- 
ever, and that in which he took the greatest ])ains was olive oil. I'or its manufac- 
ture he built a small factory. Through Mr. Loop he imported experienced men 
from Italy. ex|)erls in the ai)proved processes of oil production, and followed well- 
established modern methods of bottling and marketing his i)roduct. It is no exag- 
geration to sav that ilii-ri- was no belter olive oil in the coimtrv than the llowlaml 



152 ITISTORV AXn I'.IOGRArilV 

(lil, and perhaps it liad no .su])crior in the world. lUit it conld not be sold in the 
world markets at the price of the Mediterranean oil, nor would people pay a price 
wdiich would justify the manufacture of so fine a product here. The enterprise 
was finally abandoned, and again the manufacture of a choice product of the 
\'alley, which, like the El A'erde grape juice, had made a place for itself as the 
jiecr of any in the Eastern markets, was discontinued because too good to compete 
with other articles made wdiere the cost of production w-as less. ^lany acres of 
olive trees have lieen removed to make room for orange and lemon trees, from 
which there is a larger and surer return, l)y reason of the assured market for the 
fruit. And }'et a large acreage remains and the demand for the wclbcnrcd olives 
steadily grows stronger, while the price advances. 

The first orange orchard in Southern California, set out by ;\Iission fathers 
near the San Gabriel Mission nearly 1.^0 years ago, and surrounded with an 
adolje wall, guarded bv a jjadlocked gate, has been described in a previous chap- 
ter; also the first orchard in the San Jose \'alley, planted fifty years ago by Cyrus 
Burdick at the Spanish Settlement near the San Jose Hills. Five years later 
other orchards were set out by Frank Loney, R. F. House and P. C. Tonner, by 
others west of Pomona townsite, and by Loop and ]\Ieserve on their tract. Sume 
of the groves in the townsite died for lack of water. But with the development 
of water bv the Land an<l Water Company and otliers, in 1882 and the years 
innnediatelv following, many ten and twenty-acre groves were set out. and some 
larger ones. Among the larger orchards were tlmse of 'SI. Baldridge, who set 
out 30,000 trees in 1887, of .\. T. Currier, and the Alvarado and Palomares 
orchards, greatly increased by the Nicholses after their purchase of these groves. 
C. E. White and F. P. Firey were among the first, if not the first, to set out the 
navel orange, whose propagation, especially in Riverside, was an important factor 
in "booming" vSouthern California. 

Fur man\- ^■ears the largest orange grove in the world was that of Seth 
Richards, a wealthy resident of Oakland who bought over 300 acres in 1883 and 
set it out. largely to navel oranges. 

.\t this time a number of other varieties of oranges were shown in the 
market, at the exhibits and in the nurseries. Reputalile firms sold quantities of 
Australian navels, which later had to be dug out or rehudded. TUit the W'ashing- 
tnn navel soon took its leading place, and nther varieties graduall}' disap])eared 
from the market, except the \'alencias, which became the favorite among the 
later ripening varieties. 

In the vears from 1882 to nearl\' 18''0. \ineyards and decidunus orchards 
were more than holding their own with the orange groves, and th:it with land 
at $1.^0 an acre and grapes bringing twenty dollars a ton and prunes two cents 
a pound. The cost of clearing and setting out ten acres of orange trees, and of 
watering and caring for them f<ir five years was then about $3,300, reckoning the 
land at $150 an acre. To a writer in A^;(rif/ Calif oniia that year. $350 an acre 
for orange land seemed "enormous." but the profits were shown to justifv that 
price provided one w-as successful in marketing the fruit. In 1886 and 1887 more 
than 70.000 orange and lemon trees were set out. and people began to take out 
grape vines and apricot and |)each trees to plant citrus fruits in their stead. 

But the foundations of the great industry, now so well stabilized, had yet 
to be laid. It was not enough to raise (luantitics of the finest oranges: there must 
lie a certain and satisfactory market for the fruit. While the output was com- 
paratively small, buyers paid good prices for the fruit in the orchar.ls. usually 



MlSTOkV AXI) r.IOC.KAl'llV \r.'> 

luiNin;,' the I'niit on tlio trees. As tlie urcharils increased and tliniisan<l> <>f trees 
came into l)earing, tlie I)uycrs orjjanized. and a few large packing liduses con- 
trolled the whole market. They would only hiiy on consignment, and the ranchers 
were at their mercy. Year alter year the account at the end of the season would 
show a balance in favor of the packers. The growers realized that they must also 
organize and throw off the yoke of the packing house combination. In December, 
1883, the Orange ('.rowers Protective L'nion of Southern California was orga- 
nized, C. F. Loop of I'omona. J. de llarth Sliorb of Los .Angeles and George II. 
ridlerton of Riverside being among the directors. The name "I'roteclive l'nion" 
well indicates its purpose. 

r.ut neither this nor various other organizations formed later succeeded in 
securing a sure and profitable sale for citrus fruits. Mr. 1'. J. Dreher in bis 
"Early History of Cooperative .Marketing of Citrus Fruits." explains why they 
failed. It was "because thev employed the same local commission brokers to 
handle the crop: in fact saved themselves the trouble of dealing with the indi- 
vidual grower, tiie organization doing this, then turning over the |)roduct to the 
])acker and shipper without solicitation from the individual." Not until IS''.? 
was a way found to l)reak away from this vicious systeiu. In February of this 
vcar orange growers near Claremont organized a union to market their fruit 
through an executive committee of their own. Its officers were 1'. I. Dreher, 
president; H. M. Wlieeler. secretary; and George F. Ferris, treasurer. Agents 
were secured in the Fast, who sold the fruit at auction, or directly to the trade ; 
and sliipments were also made for cx|)ort to England. Mr. Dreher says in his 
"Ilistorv of Cooperative Marketing." "The history of the |)resent system of mar- 
keting citrus fruits by cooperative growers' associations must therefore begin 
with the season 1802-1803 (ouq year before the Exchange was organized i at 
Claremont. Cal. Here the first cooperative organization for direct marketing, 
"The Claremont California Fruit Growers Association' was organized, and 
hantllcd the crop of its eleven members, which consisted of twenty-one cars that 
season." 

The example of the Claremont Association served as the stimulus and moilel 
for other such organizations, and. more im])ortanl still, for a union of such asso- 
ciations in the Exchange, for coopcratior in the direct marketing of fruit. In 
fact, cooperation has been the keynote of the wonderful success which has 
attended the whole movement, — cooperation first in each association, and then the 
cooperation of the associations in the Exchange. Preliminary meetings of grow- 
ers in various places resulted in two general meetings in the summer of 18''.V .\t 
the first of these meetings, held in the Chamber of Commerce rooms in Los 
.Angeles, a conunittee was appointed to formulate platis for the organization of 
all citrus fruit growers in Southern California, of which committee W. .A. ."^pald- 
ing of Los .\ngeles was chairman and P. J. Dreher of I'omona. secretary. .\t the 
second meeting, held in June at Pomona, the report of this committee was pre- 
sented and adoi)ted. This report is the inaf/nn cliarta of economic libertv for all 
who are related to this, which is the greatest and most representative industrv of 
the Southwest. Moreover, it is a remarkable illustration of the application of the 
princi|)le of coojieration intelligently to the advantage both of the ))roducer i>opn- 
lation and of the consmner iiopniation. The importance of this movement {•> the 
j)rosperity of Southern California cannot be overestimated. 

The relation of the Claremont organization to the general movenuiil is ihiis 
stated by Mr. Dreher in his history already ([uoted : "This direct svstem of mar- 



154 TllS'l'Oin' AXn moCK AIMlN- 

kctiiiy, fir>i ailiipti'd li\- tlic Clari'iiiont Califdniia I'liiil drowcrs Associatimi, was 
adopted l)y the comniitteo that laid the foundation for the Hxchange. It lias since 
been adojited l)v all ship]icrs : none have improved iij)on or chantjed the methods 
then laiil dnwn. except in the case of the I''..\chan,m\ which cmplovcil salaried 
agents, and has added snch other develoi)ments as the enlarged bnsiness demands 
and re(|nircs. It controls sixty-seven ])er cent, of the citrns crop of California, 
and is recognized as the leading snccessfnl cooperative organization of the 
United States." 

The details of the ])lan of cooper.ation adopted liy this meeting of or.ange 
growers in jnne, lX'',i. and execnted in the organiz.itinns which followed, are too 
well known to re<)nirt' elalu iration here; they are all given in the varions reports 
of the Exchange. 

The Pomona I'niit h'xchange was incorpor.ated in .\ngnst. with .\. W". Xeshit. 
r. F. l.,,np, 1). C. Teague, E. C. Kiml.all. J. L. Aleans, Calvin Esterly, E. C. 
Meredith, j. O. Cason, W. H. Sclnireman. Ci. 1'. Roliinson and. Peter Eleming as 
directors. Jndge iMMnkhn I'.l.-ides and W. .\. Lewis attended to the details of 
incorporation. According to the ])lan other associations were formed — the .A. C. G. 
Citrns .Association for the Azusa-Covina-Glendora district, and the Ontario Fruit 
Tvxchange for tlie ( )ntari(i-l'pIand-Cncamonga district. 

Then folliiwed the miifying of the associations, when representatives of all 
the local associations met in T,os .Angeles and effected the organization of an 
"Exchange," adopting twenty-four rules governing this organization. The incor- 
poration was dated ()ctol)er Jo, IS'i.v Its name was the "San Antonio Fruit 
Exchange." Its members were/ the four associations mentioned — the Claremont 
California Fruit Growers .\ssocialion, the Pomona Fruit Exchange, the Ontario 
Fruit Exchange and the .\. C. d. Citrus Association. Changes have since occurred 
in the lines of division. Instead of the Claremont Fruit (irowers Association 
there are si.x separate organizations — the San Dimas ( )r;nige Growers A.-^socia- 
tion, the isan Dimas Lemon Grow-ers .Association, the Pa \ erne Orange and 
Lemon Growers .Association, the College ITeights Orange .and Lemon Growers 
Association, the P'.I C.amino Citrns Association, and the Claremout Citrus Asso- 
ciation, which replaced the Indian llill Citrus .Association. The .\. C. G. Associa- 
tion and the Ontario Fruit Exchange withdrew to join other exchanges: while 
the .^iiulliern (.'aliforuia I'ruit Exchange I'oard, later the California l'"rnit ("irowers 
Exchange, was formed with representatives from each of the exchanges to cen- 
tralize and unify the whole business. 

Air. P. P Drelier. the president of tlie first association. forme<l at Claremont 
in l!^''.i, has been fur more than twentv-tive vears the leader of the exchange 
movement in this district, being secretarv and manager of the San -\ntouio I'.x- 
ch;nige cluring most of this time, and a director of the Southern California .•nid 
State Exchanges from the time of their organization. The increase in the .animnit 
of fiuil h;mdle<l b\- tin- exchangt' in this district during Air, Dreher's term of 
service, from the (i„?OU boxes shippeil by the Clanmont Fruit Growers .\ssiici;i- 
tion in 18'L'-1S')3 i,, ihe nearly 2,000,000 boxes handled by the San Antonio 
Ivxchange alone in the seasnn 1''P)-1"'17, is a striking iudicalion of the wonderful 
growth <if this industry in the \ alley. 



IlISTOkV AND lUoC.RAI'IIV 135 

MUSINESS AND MANUFACTURE 

Turning from auriciiltiirf tn otlu-r industries in roinnn.-i. (inu cnlurs \\\v town 
r.nd considers its Imsincss and its niaiuifacturfs. As is well known, the parrnnount 
industry of tlie X'allcv is fruit grinving. It is not a nianufacturin),' center in any 
sense; yet it is not entirely devr)iil 4if manufacturing enterprises. X'arious lim-s of 
business have carried on such work of construction as they re<|uireil and coul<l do 
at home: wagon builders and wheelwrights, shoemakers, tailors, pluiubers rmd tin 
workers, lumber mills and rngmakers have engaged in the usual hrime manufac- 
tures. iUit the essential industries of the \ alley have developed several larger 
enter])rises. Out of the large demand for i)ii)es and tanks and roofing has grown 
up the Calfiweli Galvanized Iron Works, which was begun by ]'>. K. Caldwell in a 
small way about 18''0. Instead of the two small lumber yards and one planing 
mill in IHH?. there are now three large lumber yards and three ))lauing mills. 
W'hyte's I'.rick X'ard. which began almost before the town did. now turns out 
J.^.Orx) bricks a day. 

The early factories for drying and marketing deciduous fruits are at pre>ent 
re()lace<l by two large canning estalilishmcnts, han<!ling four or five milli<in (|uart 
cans of deciduous fruits and l(jmatoes per season. .\ still larger enterprise is that 
of the ice factories built in Cfmncction with the large packing houses for the icing 
and prccooling of citrus fruits. 

The automobile has intnxluced a volmue of business in repairs aivl minor 
construction which is almost incredible. If brought together in one factory it 
would cover in.iii\ aiTi- •<{ ground, em|)loying hundreds of mechanics in I'omona 
alone. 

The large^t snigle establishment is the I'omona Manufacturing Companv. 
This company was organize<I in 1V02 by Ivlmer E. Izcr, S. M. Fulton and Tk-orge 
W. Ogle, who were joined early in 1003 by Grant Pitzer. P.eginning in a small 
way in a hay barn, which had been used as an olfl pipe workshop, the busine-^s has 
grown to be the one manufacturing concern of really large proportions in the 
\'alley. Its large Pomona Duplex pumps are now sold in a rlozen States. From its 
foimding until his death, the genius of the company was Elmer E. Izer. While 
making a specialty of jiumps for oil wells and irrigating systems, the comi)any 
has a large foundry and machine shfi]), and does all kinds of work in iron and 
brass and other metals. emj^Ioying over a huntlred men and ruuTiing night and day. 

Coming from the manufactures still farther into the heart of the town, one 
finds the business of "the street" advancing steadily from 1X87 to the jiresent 
time, though not quite with even pace, for there have Iieen times of depression 
and times of (juickeniTig. Esjiecially following the year of the great boom and 
reaching a crisis in 18'^?. Pomona felt keenly the ti<le of depression which rolled 
over the whole country. Hut fortunately, it suffeied far less than many [)laces. 
This is readily accounted for in several ways — by the substantial character cif its 
growth, the relatively small inflation of i)rices and the actual values involved in the 
real estate transactions of the boom, by the f|uiet, hol<ling-on faith of its le.iding 
citizens, and by the great stabilizing power of a few strong institutions. It would 
far outrun the scope of this narrative to relate the development of the man\ busi- 
ness concerns whose combined movement makes up so large a part of the vital 
progress of the community. From a street (hardly more) of scarce a hundred 
•■tores and places of business of all kinds, has grown a compact city, with miles 
of business blocks, including one or two modern office buildings. Itk<; ibc lnve>ii- 



156 iiis'i'( )R^■ A\i) r,i( )C,kA]'iiv 

iiiL'iii lUiililin.i;, in wliicli the Chaniher of C'nnimcrcc is housed, and the Fruit Ex- 
chaui^'e, an<l where a number of leading professional men have their offices. 

The iirogress of the town is well reflected in the activities of such concerns 
as the iluilding and I^oan Association, and especially it is most faithfully indicated 
in the development of its banks. The two building and loan companies have aided 
inan\- in the building of homes, and provided many more with safe investment. 
The older iif these eoiu])anies, the Mutual liuilding and Loan Association, was 
t)rganized in \H'>2 with assets of less than $4,000. Its resources now are $2,000,000. 

The Home lluilders Association, though founded fifteen years later, in 1908, 
lias made a remarkable grnwtli in its nearly twelve years of business. 

The first banks in the \'allcy were organized in the fall of 1883. in the midst 
of the city's most rapid growth. The Pomona Bank was incorporated September 
l.\ with IT. .\. Palmer, president, and F. L. Palmer, treasurer. Mr. R. S. Day, 
formerlv of ( )aklan<l, was cashier, and Capt. George Mitchell, a retired navy 
officer, was fnr a time its teller. This bank was quartered in the Palmer P>uilding, 
just erected, where Zilles' store is now located. This is one of the few concerns in 
I'omona which was oliliged to close in the dark days following the boom. 

The Piimiina X'allev liank was organized in October — the 26th, to be exact — 
and its officers were J. H. Smith, ])resi lent, J. F. ]\lcComas, vice-president, and 
Dr. Thomas Coates. cashier. Their first place of business was in the old Ruth 
lUock, one nf the first brick buildings in tnwn, built 1)y Rev. V. S. Ruth at the 
corner of Third and Main. Here also was the po>t office while ^Ir. Ruth was 
I)ostmaster. Pater the bank erected its own building at the nnrlheast curner of 
Second and Main. It was during its early days in the Riuh P.ldck that the Firey- 
Coates incident occurred which is told in another chapter. In .\|)ril. 188.T. when 
Dr. Coates retired as cashier, Mr. Carlton Seaver took his place, and the following 
year succeeded to the presidency, thus beginning his long term of service in the 
banking and Inisiness afifairs of the \'alley. At the same time Stoddard Jess 
became cashier, beginning then his remarkable career in which he mse to recogni- 
tion as one of the leading bankers nut only in Los .\ngeles, but in the corntry. 

The Jesses, Stoddard and his father, Ck'orge, though conservative business 
men. lirought new life to the bank, and in June, 1886. it was reorganized as the 
b'irsl .Xational Rank of Pomona. Mr. Carlton Seaver was president. Dr. Coates, 
\-ice-president, and Stoddard Jess, cashier: its directors included also J. F. ]\Tc- 
Comas. George H. Bonebrake and George Jess. \\ hether it is considered as the 
successor of the Pomona \'alley Bank, or from its reorganization as the First 
Xatinnal, it is the oldest banking establishment in the \'alley, and one of the oldest 
as well as one of the strongest in the Southwest. .Since 188'* it has occupied its 
present <]uartcrs in its own pressed brick building at the nurthwe^t corner of 
Second and Main streets. \'arious changes have occurred, of course, in its 
officers and directors. Stnddard Jess removed to Los Angeles, and Jav .Speuce, 
who folliiwed him, as did ;dso John I^aw and C. E. \\ alker. wIki bdught <nit Mr. 
Seaver's interests. Mr. Charles M. Stone, presiilent of the bank since I'M.^, be- 
came cashier in January, 1004, having come to Pomona from Burlingtnn, \'t., 
with the Pomona Land and \\'ater Company, in 1887. Senator Currier, who has 
served longest on the bn.ird of directors, was chosen a director in January. 1898. 
\\ ith ;dl the changes in its personnel, its guiding principles have remained un- 
changed : these are best ex|:)ressed in the three words, strength, security and serv- 
ice. Its strength may be judged from its increase from a capital of $.sO,000 at 
first to a ca])ital and surplus of $400,000 now. and from two facts — that it has 



HISTORY AND UK )C.R.\1'11V 157 

iicver failed to pay diviilcnds, fiiriucrly senii-anmial, now <|uarlcrly. ami that it 
has never lowered its dividend^; both remarkable, if not unique, record-. Its 
security was notably witnessed by its ability to stem the tide of adversity which 
came with the panic of 1S''3, when so many institutions went to the wall. Hacked 
bv the Xew ^"()rk banks, it was able not only to weather the storm itself, but to 
rarrv through many other concerns dependent ui)on it. < )f lis service to the 
peofile. a large number of the leading enteri)rises of the N'alley — iKicking houses, 
])recooling plants, bnsincs.s blocks, manufacturing and business lirms. insti'.nlions 
of all sorts — can testify, and lo its indispensable aid in launching their business 
or in tiding over seasons of waiting or of crisis. \\ ithout borrowed capital su|)- 
plied by bankers who not only are conservative and discriminating, but iiave faith 
in the X'alley and its essential industries, neither the individual growers nor the 
great fruit associations could tiile over the "oft" years when drought or frost cut 
off returns. 

Such is the story of the I'irst National Hank, told in some detail not because 
it is the only bank, or uni(|ue in the character of its business, but because it is the 
oldest and largest and to a considerable e.vtent typical of the growth and service 
which have characterized all the lianks of the \'alley. 

The People's P.ank was organized in 1887, and occupied the new block erected 
.'it the time by C. I'.. While, a leader in the entcr[)risc, at the corner of Second and 
Thomas streets. The Dole brothers of I'.angor. Maine, who came t'l California 
that year, were large stockholders, William P.. Dole being presiilent of the bank 
and John If. Dole, cashier. In 1901 the People's P>ank was merged with the Na- 
tional P.ank of Pomona, its name being changed later to the .\tuerican X.ilional 
P.ank of Pomona. .\t the time of the merger of the r*eoi)le's P.ank with the 
National, Charles M. Stone, who hail been cashier of the Peojile's P.atik since the 
death of John II. Dole, went to th.c b'irst National, of which he later becaiue 
cashier and president as related, and John Storrs became cashier of the Nation.-d, 
later the .\merican National. 

The Savings P.ank of Pomona was first organized in July, P'04, as the Sav- 
ings P.ank and Trust Comi^any, changing to its present name in P'14. The found- 
ers of the bank included L. T. (lillette, president: M Ilinman. vice-president: 
Frank C. I-'ells. secretary and cashier: and W'. L. Wright, now president of the 
bank. With a transfer of stock in I'MO. William P.enesh became ])residcnt and 
C. D. Paker, cashier, the latter succeeded in l'>15 by A. I'.. Endicott. The growth 
of tlte bank is indicated by its resources, which from $84,000 in P'O.^ increased 
to S36.V000 in 101.=;. an<I to $730,000 at the beginning of P»20. 

Pomona's fourth liank, the State P.ank of Pomona, was incorporated in 
March, PW, by Peter Ruth, E. R. and S. E. Ynndt. .\. C. .\l)bott, .\. N. Moly- 
neaux, J. W. Enltrm, C. P.. Roberts and John R. .Mathews. In PW) .\. C. .Xbbdtt 
was elected president and J. .\. Gallup, vice-|)rcsident. In P'lO ;i branch of the 
bank was opened at La \'erne. with II. J. \'animan in charge. Its business has 
grown steadily from resources of $200,000 in 1007, to $1,273,000 at the present 
time. 



CHAPTKR i:i(;Hr 

SOCIAL. IM KLLKCri AL AND SlMRriTAL LIFE 

OF POMONA 

EnVCAllo.N — ruMn.VA SCHOOLS FROM 1873 — IFir.IlKR EnrCATION- CiU'RCIIKS ANf) 

RKLir.ii'fs LiFK — Early Conditions — Catholic, Baptist. Episcopal, 
Mi:tii()i>ist, Christian. I'ri:si'.vtkrian" and Coxcri-T.ational Ciu'kciiks — 
Fkatkrnities — \i:wspapi:rs — I'omona Timks — Pomona Progrkss — Tin" 
RiCviEw AND Othkr Papers — Pl'rlic Liiir arv — Social Life in Pomona. 

EDUCATION 

From tlic time of ilic first pioneers in the \ alley. PonKnia lias not lacked 
those who were keenly interested in the edncation of lier children, and wiilin.ir to 
devote time and tlionghi to its prosecution. The organization of tlic Paloniares 
school district, the opening of the firs! school in the adohe iionse in the Spanisli 
Settlement, and tlie erratic wanderings of the first building and its teachers, have 
been described in the fourth chapter, the building of the Central School Mouse and 
the beginning of the Pomona school system in chapter five, and a reference to the 
Spa<lra school was made in the last chapter. We may now consider further the 
Pomona schools after 187.3. 

Mr. Coleman, the first princi|)al in the Central School House, was obliged to 
resign within the year on account of his health, and the board secured, as principal 
of the school, Mr. Dwight X. Piurritt, a native of Auburn, \'. ^'.. and a graduate 
of the I'niversity of Michigan. He was also a good teacher and d'd much to 
build u)) the school, (hough in the midst of hard times, remaining in charge until 
1882. when he turned his attention to fruit growing. Soon after he came Mr. 
Ilurritt had bought six acres on Holt .Avenue near Gibbs. and a year or two later 
had a<lded six more adjoining. He was a trustee in the Methodist Church from 
the time of its organization, in 1877. till 1886. Following Mrs. lunma I.oughrey 
McComas as assistant was Miss .\niia Hoyt, who became Mrs. Hiram McComas, 
and Miss Nannie Strauss. P>oth the rooms on the main floor of the building 
were used instead of only one, as during the first year. The trustees of the dis- 
trict, in locating the Central liuilding at Holt and Ellen (now Park I avenues, had 
(lurchased three acres of land, which in those days was regardccl as am|)le room, 
and had planted a large number of flowering shrubs and trees — pepper, acacia, 
cypress and rubber trees. These trees, whose grateful shade has been enjoyed 
by so many, were alreacly making the grounds attractive. .Among the children 
who attended the school during these first years were Dave Recil and his sister 
Mattie. who was later an assistant with Profes.sor Little ; Peter Ruth, whose father. 
Theodore, was merchant, postmaster and express agent, among f)lher «)ffices. an<l 
whose grandfather. Rev. P. S. Ruth, was the pioneer Ejjiscopal rector; Herman 
anrl Charles Conner, the latter a physician later in Pomona; Frank Eno. now a 
professor in an Eastern college, whose parents came to Pomona in 187.^. and the 



160 IIISTOKV AXD lUOCRAl'l IN" 

r.urdick children — Laura, now livini; with her aunt, Mrs. Lucrctia I'lurns, in Los 
Angeles. Anna, whose hushand. J. X. Teague. was a well-known pioneer in San 
Dimas and I'omona, and is now a prominent agriculturist in Los .\ngeles, as men- 
tioned elsewhere, and Lucretia (Mrs. F. V. Brackett ). who has collahorated with 
the author in writing this story. 

Another, who is well remcmhered as a teacher with Mr. Rurritt following 
.Anna Iloyt and Nannie vStrauss, was .Ada Connor, now Mrs. Frances Ada Patten, 
of I^os .Angeles, who taught here from 187') to 1881. Born of a family of pio- 
neers who came to California in 18,^7 and to Los Angeles in 1870, she proved an 
excellent teacher, and is rememliered with affection and respect b}' all wdio knew 
her as their teacher. Charles Al. I'atten. whom she married January 1. 1883. 
came to Pomona on the day of the first auction sale of lots in the townsite, as one 
of the train crew. 

The summer of 1882 saw a complete change in the teaching force. Afr. 
Burritt resigned after serving four years, and Prof. F. F. Little became principal, 
with Alattie Reed assistant. At this time there were only thirty-six iiuiiils alto- 
gether. One of Professor Little's devices to improve the standard of the school 
was the publication in the local paper of a report of attendance, deportment and 
scholarshi]!. l"he list of names from one of these reports ma}- be of interest 
(the figures are considerately withheld): Lucretia Burdick. Afabel Garland. 
Grace Smith, Lizzie Ruth, .Alice .Xrm^trong. Fred and George Llolt, iClmo and 
Bessie AFeserve, Alollie Goodhue, P)runner, Daniel and Willie Malliday. ami John 
Loo]i. This is the fidl list of students then in the grammar school. In 1884 
the growth was such as to recjuire the upper story. The ceu'^us this ^ear showed 
AAh children of school age. In 1884-188,^ three new buildings had to he built, and 
$10,000 was voted for this purpose and for an addition to the Central building. 
In the Kingsley Tract a one-room building was erected, a two-room building in the 
rorth, or Palomares, district, and a two-room liuilding in the snuth district. Airs. 
r>rink was principal of the Sixth Street school for a long time, and Aliss Harriet 
Palmer began her long service here at that time. 

,\fter the city was incorporated the first school board to be elected under the 
new charter met and organized January 10, 1883. Air. C. Ibiwe was president and 
R. .\. .Mien secretary, the other members being F. D. Jo}-. J. A. Driffil and O. J. 
Newman. .At the end of the school _\ear. in 1888, Professor Little resigned and 
Air. I". A. Alolyneaux was engaged in his place. From such beginnings the 
Pomona schools have grown to a system of a dozen large schools with more than 
a hundred teachers and over 2,800 pupils in attendance. 

The pul)lic schools of the foothill towns are mentioned in their appropriate 
]5laces. 

P.esides its |)ublic school system, Pomona has had a ninnlier (if private 
schools. The Pomona Business College, foundeil in 1''00 liy Air. Daniel Brehaut. 
has furnished hundreds of young people practical training for business positions 
in this and other places. More than three-fourths of the business houses in this 
A'alley have been provided with graduates from this college. 

The .Academy of Holy Names is a select school which was founded [primarily 
to serve the families of the Catholic Church, but a much larger constituencv than 
this testifies to the value of its service. When the .Academy was establisb.ed, in 
1898. its building was dedicated with special ceremony by the late Bishop Alont- 
gomery. The first Lady Superior, Sister Alary Celestine, was followed l)y Sister 



IlISTOKV AM) r.K tCK Al'in' l.,l 

Mary l\i>>f. Sister Mary l'iciic<licta an<l Sister Mary ()licr in turn. Sister ( )lier 
lieing the present inciinihenl. Ilesides tlie rej^nlar courses uf |)riniary. i^rniniiiar 
and liijjli scliool, its nmsic (le|)artnient is of liij,'li rank and well |)alronized, more 
than a iunidred students altojjether heinf; in attendance. 

The people uf the X'alley have always nianifc>le(l a keen intere-^l in liiyhcr 
education. This is demonstrated first, of course, in the excellence of ils liif^h 
school. It lias also ajipeared in ils support of collejje and iniiversily. .\ con>id- 
crable numhcr of students iiave always attended the large universities, California 
and Stanford in the Xorlh. The denominational colleges fif the Methodist. I'.aj)- 
list and I'reshyterian Chnrches all have their followings. Some were interested 
in 18H4 in the movement of the Presbyterians to estahlisji a "Sierra Madre Col- 
lege" at Pasadena, and later in the founding of Occidental. In ISS? and \SX(t a 
good many of the thinking peojjlc of the X'alley. regardless of denomination, 
shared in the discussion and organization of the I'.aptist College, feelitig ihe need 
of a Ciiristian college of high standard nearer home. This attitude toward higher 
education found ils largest fruition for this section in I'oniona College, whose 
story is briefly told in another cha])lcr. Tiie work of l,a N'ernc College is also 
mentioned elsewhere. 

ClILRCllKS AND REI.KJIOLS LIFE I.N POMO.NA 

In its church life Pomona has not been imiike many other communities whose 
people are. in large proportion, intelligent, (lod-fearing peojile. recognizing at 
least the supreme value of the church as a factor in civilization and in the good 
order and clean atmosphere of the town. 

.\s in the average city of this type, the leading denominations of the country 
have organizations and church buildings. L'niike many cities of its size in this 
and other states, its church life has been generous and genuine, involving a good 
pro))ortion of the po])ulation ami sincere in its expression. Here, again, tlie high 
class of people who compose so large a iiart of its population makes for this 
result, and in turn attracts ever to itself others of like spirit, thus determining 
still more and strengthening the better characteristics of the commmiitv. 

liiit this high standard has not always characterized the jilace. \\ bile it has 
not beert without its churches and their following from the rir>t. yet the early 
days of the town were very dilTerenl from the latter da\s. The atn.osphere of 
the place was more that of the saloon than of the church, and the fierce struggle 
between the elements of evil and license which doniinaied ihe old town and 
the elements of decency and progress which now contntl was the most momentous 
and significant movement in all Pomona's history. While the churches took a 
vigorous and vital part in this struggle, the account i- reserved for another chap- 
ter, as a i)art of "Prmiona's .Municijial Life," rather than as a jLirt of its church 
work. 

.\ visitor to Pomona in the late seventies nr early eighties woidil have found 
it much easier to locate a social gathering at one of the dozen or so drinking 
places on a Sunday morning than to fin<l a meeting of church i)eoplc for worship. 
This is well illustrated by a story which Col. mel l-"irey tells of his own experience. 
when visiting the town with Prof. \V. T. Tibbs, shortly after their arrival in Cali- 
fornia. Mr. Tibbs was a minister of the Christian Church, a man of culture and 
refinement, yet full of humor. The fricndshij). begini by a chance acf|uaintance 
as train companions, and renewed by an accidental meeting in the Los .\ngclcs 



162 lllSTURY AXL) r-KJOKAl'l IV 

post office, led them to drive out together to Pomona. Dissatisfied with Los 
Angeles and San Diego, after considerable wandering about. Colonel Firey said 
to Air. Tihbs one day, 'AX'liat was that place we liked so much as we came into 
Southern California on the train?'" "Let me think," .said Til)hs; "wasn't it asso- 
ciated with fruits? Yes, it was called Pomona." ."Well, let's go out there." So 
thev came to Pomona. 

( )ne evening they were looking for a prayer meeting which they had been told 
was held by the llaptists on Thursday evening. Hearing some singing in the 
second stnr\- of Mother King's Hotel, they went into the saloon on the lower floor 
to make in"|uiry. "\Miat will you have?" the barkeeper asked, and was doubtless 
staggered at the order — "Where is the Piaptist prayer meeting?'' "Don't know; 
some sort of meeting upstairs." So they went up and walked in, to find not a 
Baptist prayer meeting, but a Cood Templars Lodge in session ! 

Meeting Senator McComas at Prown's Hotel, Mr. Tibbs iiKiuired if there 
were any Campbellitcs in the place. Senator McComas could have told him all 
about the Methodists, and <loubtless did, being a leading member in that church 
himself, but he was not so well posted in regard to the Disciples of Christ. He 
knew of c)nc "Christian.'' however, a Mr. James, who was then at work on a 
building for Mr. Kirkland, the Alethodist minister, the house which, by the way, 
is generalh' k-nnwn as the Ayer house, and which was occupied a little later by 
Pomiina C<illcge, in the first term after its organization by the Congregationalists. 
Senator McComas took them around and introduced Mister Tibbs to Mr. James. 
".\re you a Cam])lx-llite?" asked Mr. Tiljlis. \\'ith a queer look on his face, Mr. 
Tames replied soberly, ".\ Christian, sir, a Christian." "\Micre do you meet on 
Lord's dav?" Then .Mr. James learned that Tibl)s was also a "Chrislian." The 
following Sunday they went with Mr. James to a second-story room in the build- 
ing where Joe AWight had his office, a wretched place, in which, nevertheless, the 
little hanilful of Christians met and observed the Lord's Supper every Lord's day. 
Calling upon Professor Tibbs Ut speak, they at once discovered his calling ar.d his 
abilitw and although he was seeking rest after a breakdovv'n from strenuous work- 
in the East, he was persuaded to accept the pastorate, \vhich he filled so well tmtil 
com])elled to retire. 

One is reminded here of the story of the woman who was visiting friends in 
the Soulli and who started out one Sabliath morning to find a church of the 
Disciples, in which she might worship with others of her own faith. She inquired 
the way of an old colored woni.in : ".\unlie, can you tell me where the Christian 
Church is?" Ouickl_\- she replieil, "\\ by, l.iless yo' soul, honey, (ley's all Christian 
churches 'bout heah, 'cept de little ol' Cam-ellite Church round de co'nah." 

To enter into the details of the life of the churches, to give in any fulness 
an account of their origin and growth, would be to picture vividly the outward 
and organized expression of the Ijcst ambitions and thought of the people, the 
most vital, iloublless, of all the town's acti\-ities. In such a story the generosity 
and sacritice not only of a majority of its leading citizens, but also of the larger 
part of "the people," must needs have a place. Here especially it woukl be invid- 
ious to attempt to recognize peculiar merit, or to single out individuals for marked 
preeminence. Only in the simplest outlines can one sketch the beginnings and 
outstanding features or events in the church history of the place. 

The church wdiose ministrations to the people of the \'alley began with the 
earliest residents, the Mexican grantees and their families, and has continued un- 



IllS'n tRV AND r.K )C.R. M'llN' K..? 

broken to the i)reseiit lime, is the RiPiiiaii Catliolic Clnircli, as lia^ Ijceii iiairatccl 
soniewliat fully in earlier cliapters. 

As slatcil before, wben Sefior Ricar.lo X'ejar moved tn Walnut, lie buill tbere 
a enmniodioiis cbapel. wbere Calbnlie services were beld, which were attended by 
the ])eoi)le of the Spanish Settlement. I'adres Philipe, .\mable and lleima were 
among the missionaries uf the Church wIkj visited this cha])el : alMi lli^'hop Diego 
Garcia at one time. After the begimiings of the town it was still regarded as a 
mission field ami so wa> served by missionaries of the elnircb or frcmi the church 
at San Ciabriel. l-'ather Joatuiin Hot, who became pastor of the San ('.aliriel Mis- 
sion in 1S('S. is especially remembereil both l)y Catholics and by non-Catholics 
during the seventies. In 1870 the |)ari'^h of San Jose ( St. bisejih i was established ; 
but it was not until the general awakening of 1S83-1880 that the church had a 
regular jjastor and building in I'omona. 

The first church to be established in the \'al!ey as an organic unit was the 
Hajjlist Church at Spa<lra, which was founded, as we have said in the story of this 
town, in 1.S71. The i\ev. R. C. I'ryer. who organized the church, was its jjaslor 
for nearlv a dozen \ears, when he was followed by Dr. J. 1!. Tombes. Services 
were lield for a dozen years in the Spadra school house, until in ISS.S the church 
joine<l the I'.aptists in I'omona to establish a single church in this j)lace. 

To the Methodists must be given the credit of organizing the first church in 
Pomona. In February, bS76, the Reverend Dr. M. M. P.ovard conducted a service 
in the railway station, and this was followed occasionally by others as a part of 
the l.os .\ietos circuit. In the snnnner of 1877, probably in .May. an organization 
was effected under the direction of Dr. .\. M. Hough, then presiding elder. 'i"he 
first trustees of the church were J. \i. McComas, D. X. P.mritt. C,. \". D. Pirand. 
C. W. Twiss and H. Eno. and these men. with their families. con>tituled its cbarlt-r 
tnembershii). The building which they erected in the folhnving months was the 
first church building in Pomona, and cost less than $.^00, the land being rented at 
first from J. E. McComas. who afterwards gave it to the church. With the ])res- 
tige of a new town. Pomona became the center of a new circuit including .\zusa, 
Duarte, Cucamonga and Los Xietos, with .\. 1!. Washburn at first in charge, i'vev. 
J. D. Cnnn, the next i)astor. was followed in 1882 by R. M. Kirkland. during 
whose jiaslorate tiie second church edifice was built, atid Pomona was made "an 
in(Iei)endent charge." During the rapid growth of the town the chinxh also in- 
creased ra])idly under F. D. Mather and W. W. liailcy. and a third new building 
became necessary. This was erected in 1888-188'^, while J. W . Phelps was jiastor, 
on the same site as the first two, and has served the church well ever since, though 
witli numerous additions and improvements. In the long hue of good men who 
have followed in this ()astorate were Dr. J. II. White, for four years |)resident of 
the I'niversity of Southern California, and Dr. .\. C. Williams, formerly of Pur- 
lington, Iowa, who had also had charge of large churches al St. I.ouis. Kansas 
City. Eincoln, .\ebr., Minneajiolis and the Simpson Church in l.os .\ngeles. ( )ut 
of these activities have grown the two great ciiinches which represent the Meth- 
odist ilenominatitm in Pontona, the First Methodist Church at the old site on 
Third and Main, an<l the Trinity Methodist, wliich organized and built its new 
edifice at Pearl and Gibbs streets in l'if)8. This, however, is too recent to belong 
to an early history. 

E|)iscopal services were hebl in the X'alley as early as 1874. at the houie of 
Rev. C. F. Loop, shortly after his ])urchase in the Loop and Meserve Tract. I'.f- 
ginning in 1876. services were conducted l)y Rev. I'. S. Ruth, whom wc have also 



164 llIS'^()R^■ .\.\i) r.i; ;c.r aimiv 

iiientioned l)fforf as an iiilluriitial piiUK'cr. meeting first in an old building at the 
ciirncr ni 1'liird and Alain streets, and tlien in Mr. Ruth's house, till the first 
church liuilding was put up, early in January 187'l. In May of the next year the 
rite of eonfirniatiiin was first ndniinistered b\- Bisliop Kip. The work of both Mr. 
Loop and Mr. Kutli was largely a labor of love. Mr. Loop having a larger field of 
missionarv work, and horticultural interests of his own. and -Mr. Ruth being en- 
gaged in various other ])ursuits in the town, especially in Inisiness and farming. 
.\t seventv-two \ears of age, after having ministered to the little group for eight 
vears. he gave over the work to a younger man. When Rev. J. D. II. I'.rowne 
took charge of the Mission in 1884. during the lioom da\>. the membership rapidly 
increased, and a new building became necessary. At the laying nf the corner-stone 
in Februarv. 1883. both Mr. Loop and Mr. Ruth took part, as well as Mr. IJrowne. 
( )penefl in September of this year, it has served, with the material improvements 
added fmni time tn time, as the lidnie nf St. Paul's I'.piscopal Church almost 
thirty-five years. 

The ))eriiid from 1883 tn 188fi and a little later was one of nuich activitv in 
church affair-^ a-- well a.-- in everything else. Real estate was booming: newcomers 
were arriving every da_\' : new houses were going u]) and business blocks as w^ell. 
W idi all this material prosperity, the increasing population demanded new churches 
as well as fietter quarters for ihe old. 

The P>ai)tists in Pomona by this time outnumbered those in the httle church 
at Spadra. and the Pajitist .Association urged that they unite in a single church in 
Pomona. 'l'hi> was accomplished in ( )ctober. 1883, and Rev. Mr. Latourette. 
mis>ion;iry of the .\ss"ociation, aeteil as the pastor until Rev. J. F. Moody became 
pastor, in .\ueiist, 1884. In September they dedicated the new cburcl! building at 
Fourth and F.lleii streets, having met till then in an old house on I*"om-th Street. 
Here the church worsbiiijied until it mo\ed into iis large, modern edifice at the 
corner of Ilolt and (iarev avenues, in l''ll. .\fter fort\' \ears two of the charter 
meml)ers of the cliureh at Spadra, .Mr. jame> M. Fryer and Senator Currier, are 
still active members of the clnirch. 

The early life of the Catholic Church in the \'alley came to m.iluriiy and 
found at last a home (if its own in 188.^. when, under the direction of b'atber Pot 
and h'ather P. 1. Fisher, an organization was effected and money raised for .a 
buililing Tlii> church, completed before the end of the ^ame year, has been the 
parish hr)me and center for the Catholics not only of Pomona, but of the whole 
X'alley. The (iresent church was built in I'HJ ) by Father X'mian, who came in \'K)2. 

Late in 1882 a Floliness I'.and was formed, which in 1884 was organized as a 
church, its tirst leaders being L. Parker and C. \' . D. Flrand, who had been one of 
the organizers of the Methodist Church. 

In 1883 the Presbyterian Church began, and in 1884 the Christian and I'm'- 
Ncr^alist Churches. The latter church was organized by G. H. Deere of Riverside. 
who also dedicated its building in 1880, its first preacher being Rev. C. .\ Miles. 

The Christian Church, which had been meeting with Dr. Kendricks as 
]ire;icher. was fairly Launched in April, 1884, by Prof. W. T. Tibbs (whose arrival 
in Pomona with Colonel b'irey ha^ been mentioned), and before the end of the 
_\ear they were worshi|iing in their first building, on the corner of Cordon" and 
Center streets, .\fter the five-year pastorate of .Mr. Til)bs, the one which made 
the greatest impression upon tin- church and town in the earlier da\s was that 
nf Dr. F. M. Dmvling, who served the church fcir eight years. It was dm-ing his 



11IST< )U^• AM) lil( iC.UAl'IIV Ko 

pastorate in 18''2 tliat tho sccniiil hiiildin^' was criclcil. wliicli \\a- iHcd until the 
large new clnircli was built. 

Iiotli Presbyterians and Congrcgationalisls were anxious in 1S8,^ to liave a 
cburcb of tbcir own. Togetlier tbey bad nuinlxTs and means to eslabb--li a 
cbnrcli. but neitber f^roup tboiiglit it advisable to organize a separate cburcb bv 
tbemselves. 'I'lie Congregationalisis bad tbe larger numbers, and the IVesbNierians 
tbe larger means. It was tberefore agreed between tbem tbal tbey -liould wnrl< 
logetber to build a Presbyterian Cburcii firs; in Pomona and a Co;igreg;;tiona! 
Cburcb in f Ontario, imtil in either town another cburcb should be rei|uire 1. Rev, 
Oliver C. W'eller was jiastor during the first year, from its organization in Mav. 
and was folluweil by L. F^. Crawford, Dr. j. Rice P>owman and Dr. |. A. ("lordon. 
who was later a professor in ( )ccidenlai College. Rev. Dr. P.. I!. Pioidtam was a 
member of tbe cburcli from its founding until bis death, and Rev. C. T. Mills, 
already mentioned at some length in connection with tbe Pomona Land and W ater 
Company, gave the clnircli the lot for its building, which w.is creeled in ISS.^. 
Among tbe other charter members. I-'ldcrs F.lias Finck. Henry Curtis and Cassius 
C. Johnson will be esjiecially remembered. From the first fourteen its membership 
grew to about 400 in MOO.' 

In the meantime the Congregationalists, wlio were worshiping with the Pres- 
byterians, had so increased in number as to justify the forming of a church of 
tbcir own. according Ir) tbe previou- agreement. So. in Mav. 1XS7. tliev org.uiized 
a church with thirty-six members, called the Pilgrim Congregational Cburcb. This 
also grew to have a membership of over -100. when, in 1''02, Dr. I.ncicn II. Frarv 
closed his long jiastoratc of nearly fifteen years. 

Perhaps the most important fact in the early history of Pilgrim Church is 
that it was the alma mater of two other institutions — tbe Claremont Cburcb and 
Pomona College. This was due very largely to the influence of Dr. C. P.. Sumner, 
the "father of tbe college," who was also the first pastor of Pilgrim Church. .\s a 
home missionary for tbe church in Southern California. Docior Sumner Ikt! only 
consented to the organization of tbe church at Pomona after he bad become con- 
vinced of its imi)erative need, and also, almost at the same time, of the idea! 
character of tbe location for a college of high standard, both intellcctiial'v and 
spiritually. I'nder his leadership tbe church became self supporting wilbin four 
months, and the ])eople were making heroic efforts t<i start the college. P.efore 
the end of the first year they surrendered Doctor Sumner to the more imnoriant 
and more strenuous labor of launching ibe college. Though now serving a con- 
stituency which includes the whole Southwest and is unlimited by denomination, 
yet Pomona Ctillege was born of Pilgrim Cburcb. I'rom the day w)*en Doctor 
Sumner first presented tbe subject in one of his first sermons to the cluirch I meet- 
ing then in the Opera I louse before its own building was fini-bed I, this body was 
most hel])ful. in great loyalty and sacrifice. After the organization of the board 
of trustees of Pomona College, and before its formal opening al tbe beginning of 
the academic year 1S8,S-1S80, it became important to carry on classes for a group 
of stu.lents completing their ])reparation for college, and Prof. F. P. P.rackett was 
asked to take charge of this work. These classes met <luring the first half of 
the year. 1888, in the chapel of Pilgrim Church, and some of these students formed 
tbe nucleus of the first graduating class. The beginnings of the college are 
sketched more fully in the story of Claremont. told in the la^i chapter. 

The old 0])era IIou>e at the corner of Third and Thomas street- was uscrl 
for meetings l)y tbe L'nitariaiis after the Congregationalists moved into their 



166 . HISTORY' AND P.Ti iCRAPIIV 

cbapi'l. (liai^i inally across tlie road. Rev. O. Clute was their minister frcnii tlie 
organization in 1888 until he became president of the State Agricultural College 
of Michigan, in the summer of 1880. Then for a time funds and membership 
fell off and the services were discontinued. They were resumed, however, in 1890, 
with the Rev. E. C. I.. ISrown as preacher, and still in the Opera House. In 1893 
a new building was erected and dedicated in May, under the pastorate of Ulysses 
(i. B. Pierce, later chaplain in the United States Senate. 

In the years since the period covered by this sketch, the church life of the 
CI ininuuiit\' has developed with the growth of the citv. Xew churches have lieen 
formed, notably the Christian Science Church, whose earnest following has been 
drawn largely from the older churches of the city. l'>ut this development of 
cluirch life a])pears not so much in a larger number of churches as in greatly in- 
creased membership, in a larger range of usefulness, and in lieautiful church Ijuild- 
ings, mure wcrlli}- of the forms of worship and more adequate to the increased 
activity of tlio modern church. These more stately edifices, like the higher tvpe 
of liomes in which the people live, reflect the larger life and the better circum- 
stances which prosperitv has brought. 

Throughout the history of the town the relations between the various churches 
h;ivc been unusually harmonious. By union services, bv joint campaigns, by mu- 
tual understandings, tacit and expressed, a cordial fell<iwsliip has Ijeen mamtained 
between leaders and people as well. 

FRATERNITIES 

A writer iKning affiliation with one or more of the great fraternities might 
very properlv devote much attention to the history oi these orders, which fill so 
large a place in the life of their members and of the city. It must suffice, liovv- 
ever, in the present circumstances to refer very briefly to the beginnings of the 
older fraternities as recortled in other histories. Thus it is stated : that the Inde- 
pendent Order of Odd Fellows was organized May .iO, 1876, with PI. Eno, J. E. 
McComas, George C. Egan and Louis Phillips as officers, meeting in the new Cen- 
tral School House ; this following an earlier organization in Spaclra, in which Cyrus 
Burdick was also an officer; that a lodge of the Free and Accepted ?dasons was 
formed January 2.^, 1878, W. T. ^lartin, L. D. Conner, J. H. Egan, T. Mercer, 
J. B. Parker, Charles W'eile, J. vSchlesinger, |. J. Jester and John White being 
installed as officers, the ceremony C)f installation conducted by R. C. Fr_ver. past 
master of, the Lexington Lodge at EI Monte; and that the Aetna Lodge of the 
Knights of Pythias was organized August 30, 1884, with twenty-five charter mem- 
bers, including the officers, E. A. de Camp, R. N. Loucks and F. C. Schumacher. 

In the summer of 1886 a military compan\- was organized, with about sixty 
men. P. S. Dorney first, and then A. T. Palmer was elected Captain, and II. E. 
.Stoddard and C. I. Lorbeer, Lieutenants. In (October, 1887, they were mustered 
in as niemliers of the State ^lilitia. The old Opera Plouse, where the Investment 
Building now stands, was the company's headquarters until it burned, in December, 
18').S, when they began to plan for an armory, which was later erected with the aid 
of the Mutual Building and Loan Association. Much of the money for equipment, 
and then for building the armory, was raised by dramatic performances, which 
were always notable events. In promoting these, as in other affairs related to the 
company, b^rank W. lialfour was especially active. A large number of the able- 
bodied young men of Pomona have served in its Compan\- D, Seventh Regiment, 



lllSTOkV AND I'.IOC.K \|•11^" 1()7 

\. G. C, antl a good many of its officers have been [)romotr(l to liijjlicr positions. 
Among these are ^raj. T- A. Drilfil. Col. W. G. Sclireibcr, Col. W. ( ). Weldi ami 
Col. II. K. Duffy. 

During the captaincy of Torrcl r>. Thomas many of the company volnr.tccreil 
for service in the Spanish-. Vnurican War. .\gain, at the time of llie earilKjuake 
at San Francisco, the company did valiant service under Capt. W. \'.. Steven';. 

The scope of this hist<iry does not include the noljje service and sacrifice of 
Pomona's sons in the recent World War. 

NKWSPAPKRS 

Of the six or seven newspapers now published in the \'alley. the Poinomi 
Prof/rcss has the longest unbroken record. <'alin,g from January, IXS.^. but the 
Biillcliii is the true successor of the Pomona Times, which was first published in 
October. 1882. 

It is said' that a jwper called The Nc'i' Era was published before thi<. but 
its description as a pajx-r .gotten out by the Pomona Land Company and edited 
by its secretary, L. M. Holt, also applies to tlie Xciv Italy, which has been 
flescribed at some length in the chapter on the "r>eginnings of Pomona." Kailure 
to find any copies of The Xew Era has raised tlie question whether they were not 
one and the same pa])er. .\t any rate, such a paper, issued for a brief time by a 
real estate corporation and published in Los .\ngeles, can hardly be re.garded. as a 
real ncwspa[ier of the \'allev. 

Hence it is probably true that "the newspaper history of Pomona begins in 
1882. when W. D. Morton and II. X. Short moved a small and very crude printing 
|)lant from Santa .\na into this settlement and began publication of the Pomona 
Times. October 7. 1882." 

The pa()er has had a checkered career from the first. .\ year and a half later. 
.\pril 5, 1884, it combined with the Pomona Courier, which had been established 
by John H. Lee in December, 1883. It was then called the Times-Courier, and 
was edited jointly by Morton and Lee, Mr. Short having withdrawn. The first 
editorial of the joint jniblication says: "The Pomona Times and the Pomona 
Courier have clasped han'ls across the bloody chasm, and this week appear as one 
journal." In November. 188.^. W. D. Morton retired and Charles K. Sumner 
bought out his interest, the paper continuing with Lee and Sunmcr, i)ut)lishcri;, an<l 
C. K. Sumner, editor. This arrangement continued until 1888, when Mr. Sumner 
sold his half in the paper to William E. Ward. In the meantime both the Times- 
Courier and the Procjress had undertaken the publication of a daily edition. The 
former intended to surprise its rival in the i>ublication of the first dailv paper, but 
the Progress heard of it in tiine to get out one also the very same day. The 
Times-Courier claimed to have won the contest, however, by appearing two hours 
earlier than the Procjress! The ne.xt important change in its career is described 
in the article referred to above, as follriws: "Pomona was at this tiiue in the 
throes of a revolution over the banishment of the saloon. .The tem|)erance |ieii|)le 
wanted a newspa[>cr advocate of their cause. Xeither the Times-Courier nor the 
Progress up to this date had come, out in opposition to the liquor traffic, notwith- 
standing the city had voted "dry." .\fter consultation with Mr. Lee. the senior 
member of the Times-Courier firm, and gaining his consent to their plans, the 

• In an "Outline of the Xcwspnpcr History of Pomon.!" which forms part of the hotiklct "Knrly 
l>a>-* in Pomona," on filt- in the Pomon.! Library. 



168 lllSTolO' AXI) I'.K )('.RAI'I1V 

anti-saloon ])co])le Inialh' induci'd (k'n. Jolin W'asson, at that time editor of the 
Chiiio Chain f^ioii. to liii\- Air. Ward's interest in the 'rinus-i'oiiricr. At this time 
tlie saloon and the anli-salnon i-lements were ahont e\enl\ (H\ided. It was a haz- 
ardous undertai<inL; to endeavor to ehaiige puhlic opinion in favor of the complete 
hanishment of the saloon; and while success fnially crowned the efforts of the 
temperance ])eoi)le, the result was a death hlmv to the Times. A hoycott was 
started and the Times lost half of its suhscrihers and fully a third of its advertis- 
ini,' patronas^e in three months. It was never afterward able to recover its old- 
time fniancial prestige." ("ii'neial W'asson continued as editor for some years, 
hut Mr. Lee sulci (int. and his interest was held in turn liy W illard Goodwin. C. B. 
Messenger, C. 1'.. Rulnrts and II. 11. Kinney. Then, .after the death of General 
W'asson. the paper returned tn the weekly form. Since its recent ])urchase by the 
brothers, E. E. and W'. M. King, the name has been changed to the Bulletin: it 
has again become a daily paper and is infused with new life. 

The record of the I'aniona Progress is not so varied. Its essential character, 
like its name — conservative-progressive — has been unchanged from the first, and 
its publication has been iminterrui'ted. while its ])roprietors and editors have been 
at times succeeded by others. Mr. Edward \\. Stowell was its first editor and 
])ublisher, and then, after his death, from March, 1888, Messrs. II. (".. Tinsley and 
C. 1. Eorbeer. About the tirst of .\ugust. IS'fl, when General W'asson entered 
uptjn his campaign as editor of the Timcs-dmrier, Mr. S. M. Haskell came on 
the stati' of the Progress, being for two or three years associated with Mr. Tinsley. 
and then buying out his interest. 

Mr. Haskell's direction of the Progress was the longest of anv until the 
present management, .and his character and ideals were firndy impressed upon 
the pa]ier. During his administration in 18''8. the Daily Progress was iierma- 
nentlv established, the former daily, like that of the limes, having been <liscoii- 
tinued with the depressinn following the boom. In b^ebruary. V>0?. Cajitain 
Stevens and .\lmon T. Richardson, the ])resent owners, bought the jiaper and plant 
of Mr- Haskell, and have edited it together ever since. Already their control of 
almost fifteen years has outrun that of any others. Of the steady growth of the 
Progress during their control, and of its present character and influence, it would 
be superlluous to write. 

Mr. II. G. Tinsley may well be called "the veteran newspajier man" in the 
\ alley, for of those who are still in "the harness" here, Mr. Tinsley 's work in the 
\ alley began lirst. Stowell ;nii| Eorbeer and W'asson ha\e ]iassed on. but Lee 
and Sunnier and Haskell are engaged in other work, the last two in Los Aiigeles. 
Mr. Tinsley, after retiring from the Progress, was engaged in other work till 
1''04, when he ])urchased the Pomona A'<'r/i'a', which he has edited since that 
time. The h'erie^e was the successor, under .\. M. Dunn, in 1900. of the Saturday 
Beaeon. which lien llavner started in 1895. 

( )ther papers there have been in Pomona, but usually short-lived or merged 
in older publications. The Pomona Rustler. ])nblished in 1884 by Charles lUick. 
and the Pomona Register, begun in 1S88 by John Symes. also the Pomona Tele- 
gram, in 1880. were all bought .and absorbed by the Progress. 

( )f the liic;d ])apers of ClarcMiinnt. L;i \ erne and San Dimas, mention is made 
in the story of these towns. 

( )ne can hardly rate tod highly the value of I'dUKina's papers t(.> the people 
of the X'.alley. In their jirimary function as ]nirveyors of news thev baxc bet'U 
diligent and f.iithful: as vehicles of e.xpressidn for the peojile tlie\- have u.sualh' 



IIIS'I'( )K^■ AND r.l( )C.K.\1'IIN' ]!<•> 

been open to all reasonable reciuesls; as leaders in radical movenieiU- !"'ir the 
advancement of tlie coininnnity their policies have ditTered. ran,t;in^ from indif- 
ference or stndic<l non-conmiittal at times, to a stronj,' and [)ersuasive cain|);ii;^n 
for shapinj; and {inidint; public npinicm. nr even to the most vi.i;< irons an 1 fearless 
esjioiisal of ah nnj)oi)ular cause. 

r.iit whatever their cnufessed p<ilic\. and whetiier desii,'nidly or imt. the 
ncwspai)ers also serve another and mo>t desirable end. 'They furnish a detailed 
In'slorv of the rciijion, or at least a mass of data, with nnich of color and prejudice, 
to be sure, invaluable tii any writer of history. The almost unbroken file of the 
Prof/rrss. which that ])aper has had the wisdom to |)reserve. is of ]iricelcss worth 
to the town, .\innial inmibers. like the Pictorial .\nn\ial for ISSo of the /'unioiui 
'/'iiiics-Coitricr, for instance, with jheir carefully prei)ared reviews, should be pre- 
served with esjiecial care. 

'I'hc '"INimona \ alle\' lIi>torical Collection." in the Poiiion.i l.ibrarx. which 
has been formed for the preservation of all such material, dc'^erves the interest 
and support of all peo]>le and institutions in the \alley. 

POMON.X PUBLIC LIF?R/\RY 

The Pomona Public Library, as a nnniicipal iii'-titinion, date- from June. 
\H'>0. when a board of trustees appointed by the city council officiallv organized 
anrl took jiosscssioii of a collection of books and other pro])erty which had been 
acfjuircd with great pains by a group of interested individuals. The real bes.'in- 
ning of the library was the organization of the I'ouiona Public Library and I'loral 
.\ssociation. in May. 1HS7. Its fir-t officers were Mrs. I'.. P. liartlett. president: 
Mrs. I'. K. Strong and Mrs. M. Kirkland. vice-|)residents : Mrs. R. X. l.ouck-. 
secretary, and Mrs. II. I. St. John, treasurer. They opened rooms iu the Riuh 
Pdock, and Mrs liartlett. who was the untiring leader and inspiration of the whole 
movement, was a|)])ointed librarian. Money was raised bv contribution- and mem- 
ber-hip fees, hut especially by llower festivals, which n-n.ill\ provided .'^-lOO .ir 
S.^OO annually for tiie purchase of books. 

In Jime. IS'S''. the association otTcreil to give the library to the cii\. but 
I'omona was not ready yet to undertake its su|)i)ort. The city agreed. howe\i-r. 
to pav for rent and ga- in the new f|uarters to which the librarv was moved in 
the First National Hank I'.nilding. then jn-t completecl. P.\- the terms of the 
agreement the olTer of the library to the city was open for a vear. .\t the expira- 
tion of this time the library was formally accepted by the cil\-. The t'ir-t board <>\ 
trustees, appointed by the city council, was comjiosed of the following men : Rev. 
C. F. Loop, Dr. C. W. Prown. J. II. Dole. C. 1. I.orbeer and F. J. Smith. 

Two events df special conseipience have marked new periods tti advance in 
the history of the library. The first event was the gift to the city of the "( ioddes< 
Pomona." a marble statue presenle<l by Mr. Looj). While traveling with hi- 
family abroad Mr. Loop saw the original of ihi'; statue in the I'flizi (lallery at 
Florence, antl was at once impresseil with its beauty and with il- svmbolic wi>rth 
to his own city in California. I'pon in(|uiry he fotnid that it wa< a clas-ic wi>rk 
of art which had only recently been unearthed, though |)robablv centnrie- old. an^l 
he arranged for the scidpture of a replica by the Italian arii-i. Anionio I'rilli. It 
was the prc-ent:ition of thi- beautiful statue and the evident mrcssity of hou-ing it 
])roperly that I'-! '■■ 'l"- '''^-i .irrangenK'nt with the city and the removal to the 



170 lIIS'r()K^■ Axn r.ioGRAriiv 

suite 111" moms in the First Xatimial I'.ank litiililing. Here a special riMnn was ])ro- 
vided fcir it, the furnishings also given by Mrs. Loop. 

The second event nf special importance in the library development was the 
building of the new Carnegie Library. The first Ijuilding was begun hi 1902 and 
completed in 1''03, and when this became inadequate an addition was hnilt, in 
1012 to l'>13. The story of the cff(irts to secure these buildings, the meeting of 
the conilitii 'US, the drawing up of the plans, cannot be told here; but too much 
credit cannot be givi-n to those, especially to .\rthur M. Dole, by wh.om it was 
accomplished. 

Pomona has lieen peculiarly fortunate in its librarians. ?ili-.-. Mabel Prentiss 
and ]Miss S. M. Jacol)us. The latter, since her coming in 1''0.t, has been not onlv 
a most efficient librarian, but a generous servant of the people in many ways. 

SOCIAL LIFE IN POMONA 

The social activities of a cit)- center for the most part in its churclies and its 
fraternities and clnbs. .Apart from these, or to some extent overlapping these, are 
other associations which more or less regularly bring people together in a si^cial 
way. I'A'en to enumerate ;dl these in a work like this would be impossible. Some- 
times it has been a school district, or the people of a neighborhood like the Kings- 
ley Tract; sometimes the people from an Eastern city or state have formed a 
somewhat homogeneous colony, like the lowans, or the people from Missouri, or 
the T'urlington. \'ermonters. The Crand .\rmy Post and the National Guard in 
the days of Palfour. and Driffil and Thomas were especially consjiicuous wdth 
notable dramatic performances. In the days of the boom the PTotel Palomares 
was a favorite center. 

The Choral I^nion, organized in 1888 and directed for some years bv Pro- 
fessor Prackett of the College, brought together the singers from all the churches 
of the \'allev and gave opera and concert performances at certain times. 

To a remarkable extent the social life of the town has found expression in 
manifold kinds of practical service rather than in pure social enjoyment. This 
has been true in all sorts of occasions for the raising of money for a thousand and 
one usefid ends, like the flower festivals already mentioned, or in all the beautiful 
work of the I'Vuit and Flower ^fission of earlier days, and, of course, more 
recently in the magnificent service of the Red Cross. It has been true also in the 
clubs for intellectual development and culture, especially in the women's clubs. 
After the churches, the schools and the papers, perhaps no influence has been more 
potent in Pomona than that of its women's clubs. Not only in the social life, but 
in literary, dramatic, economic and political matters, the women in these organ- 
ized groups have distinctly raised the standards of living, besides accomplishing 
numerous specific and desirable objects. The first of these clubs was called the 
T^lmona \\'oman's Club, and was organized in 1802. But the organization and 
activities of the other strong clubs which have been formed in later years lie out- 
side the scojic of this history. 

Of untold blessing to the whole \'alley, as well as to Pomona itself, is the 
new Pomona A'alley Hospital, built in 1014 through the diligent efforts of Dr. 
v^windt and Dr. Kelly, ably seconded by other Pomona physicians, as well as by 
Dr. Thomas of Claremont, Dr. Prown of San ]^)imas and Dr. Hnbbell of La ^^erne. 



CHAPIKR MM-: 
rOMOXA'S MIXK^IPAL LIl-E 

I.VCORrOKATlON AND LlOl'OR FlOlIT — BlCl'OKIC 1 NLI iKl'OKATIUX— Til IC r,Hi;AT 

Issi-i-: — Drlnkkxnkss — Till-; Conflict — Ciiimcsk Pkoiu.km — Otiikk Pkoi.- 
LEMS AND Contests — The Murciiison Letter — Municipal Solidarity. 

L'inlcr tlie county gDveriimcnt before tlie city was incorporated, tlie laws 
were not severe nor rigorously enforced. The district was "a law unto itself." 
or one might say that a kind of low license prevailed. Constahles of the town- 
shij) were res])onsible for its good order, and cases were tried before justices of 
the ])cace. Rarely did a case conie Ijefore the county courts or a county slKrilT 
arrest a notorious oflfender. 

In its first issue of October 7, 1882, the Poinoiia 'limes includes in its list 
of county ofiicers, J. P.. Parker as justice of the peace for Pomona, and Joe 
Wright for S])adra : also \\". II. II. Scott as constable for Pomona ami I). R. Lilly 
for Spadra. \\ . T. Martin, often mentioned in this history, is also well remem- 
bered as justice of the peace for years in the early days, and many interesting 
stories are told of the "godd aV\ days" when Toots Martin held court. 

INCORPORATION AND LIQUOR FKillT 

There was repeated agitation for incorporation, beginning long before it wa« 
accomplished. In January, 1884, Lcn Claiborne and others urged the matter, an<l 
the Courier published the charter for a municipal corporation of the sixth class 
according to the laws of the State. In December, 1886, another agitation resulted 
in a mass meeting at which J. K. McComas presided and J. R. Garthside was clerk. 
Len Claiborne brought in a petition for incorporation, to which he had secured 
forty-two signatures. Mr. .\sion and Mr. W'eile, among others, spoke in its favor, 
saying that sanitary conditions demanded it. and proposing to include a consider- 
able jjart of the Pomona Tract surrounding the Townsitc jiroper. P. C. Tonner 
was rather noncommittal: if a majority of the citizens in the 640 acres of the 
Townsite wanted it, all right : but the neighboring tract should not be compelled to 
come in. nor slmuld the saloons have to bear the burden ! Already the problem 
of the saloons is involved in the (|uestion of incorporation. II. .\. Palmer spoke 
at length in favor of the fifth-class municiiiality instead of the sixth, but pointed 
out that a population of over 3.000 was required, and that it would therefore be 
better to wait. The outcome of the meeting was that a motion that it was "for 
the best interests of Pomona to incorporate'' was lost. 

In March, 1887, another movement led by .Attorney Claiborne culminated in 
an election. The limits proposed were White .\venuc, .\lvara<lo Street, Towne 
and Crow { later Grand ) avenues. The proposition was opposed by such men as 
Judge Firey. .\rmonr and French, who believed the area propo.'^cd was too small. 
They favored incorporation, but "wanted it right." In the election there were 71 
votes for incorporation and 110 against it. 

Toward the end of the year 1887 everyone wanted incorporation, but there 
was still a sharp conflict between opposing forces. Now, however, the battle 



172 IIIST( )k^■ AX I) IlloGRAI'llV 

trniit \v,f- cliaiit^i'il as the new issue 1)ecaine clearer. On one side were the saloon 
elenienl and those who were in favor of an open town : on the other side were the 
anti-saloon forces and those who were determined to establish a better order. A 
few citizens of highest character were conscientiously opposed to the restrictions 
proposed In- the anti-saloon party, and failed to apprehend the inag-nitude of the 
issne. lli.yh license had nni been a success, and the real (luestion was whether the 
incorporation should jxTniit drunkenness and license of every sort to continue, 
or whether it should be in such form as to forbid these evils and to encourage the 
cnniing of a belter class of citizens who would build up a clean, progressive city. 

ll is doubtless well now to forget the names of the leaders of the saloon 
forces: an 1 just because they so highly deserve recognition no attempt will be 
made to li'-l the leaders on the other side, since any such enumeration must neces- 
sarilv omit some unknown to the writer wdio were just as worthy of mention. The 
churches and most of the women, of course, were arrayed against the saloon: and 
we have alread\' referred to the way in wdiich General W'asson, editor of the 
Times, championed their cause, and at what cost. Hut there were two attorneys 
wdiose relations to the struggle were such that they cannot esca])e the historian's 
notice. One of these was P. C. Tonner, wdiose character anfl hal)its have been 
])ortra\ed at ^ome length. In this portrayal and in the anecdotes concerning Con- 
stable Slankcr, some idea has also been conveyed of the conditions existing in the 
town, liefore the lioom in 1882, wdien the population nuiubered about .^00. there 
were fourteen or fifteen saloons, or one to every thirty-five ]K-ople. That would 
be a saloon for every seven families! I) according to the usual reckoning: and if 
it be contended that there was then a large iiopulation of men without families, it 
is also true th;il there was a large share of the population with families of a dozen 
or more. W omen avoided the streets downtown, because of the offensive sights — 
kegs of liquor on the sidewalks, men standing on the corners and spitting tobacco 
juice on the walks, others staggering along half drunk and ])eidiaps accosting 
familiarlv an\- passing lady; others sometimes lying dead drunk in the gutter. 
When the men WMjrking for Fleming and P.ecket in digging the tunnel north of 
town were discharged on Saturday night, they w'oukl make directly for the saloons 
in Pomona: and it was necessary Monday morning for someone to "round them 
up'" like cattle and haul them back to their jobs before the work coidd go on. 
Sometimes in a wave of indignation a group of citizens would take matters into 
their own hands, as wdien the editor of one of the papers and a few others turned 
the fire hose on a house of low reputation and drove the notorious offenders out of 
town ! This condition was greatly improved as the town grew, from 1882 to 1887, 
and especially in 1887. We have seen that Constable Slanker was elected to that 
office at the Ijeginning of this year, as Senator McComas urged, "to clean uj) the 
town." .\nd though he had made great ])rogress, by the honest enforcement of 
such laws as were in force, yet the conditions were de])lorable, though not so 
|)ublic. 

The other attorney, so conspicuous in the struggle, was Charles E. .^uuuier, 
who had been living a hermit's life in Live Oak Canyon on account of his health, 
and who now c;nne down from his retreat like another Dax'id against the Goliath 
of the Philistines. In the end Tonner and Sunnier were both elected on a com- 
mittee to draw up the articles of incorporation for the city. Potli were keen 
attorneys and the result might easily have been a compromise, but the extreme 
terms of .Attorney S\uinier were at last ado|)ted b_\- popular vote, and the first and 
/nost important viclor\' was won for good order. Put ;i long contest followed 



HISTORY AM) r.K )C.R Al'llV 17.^ 

in tilt' enforcement of the iit-w li<!ni'r laws. Sumner was elected city attnriKv fur 
this |nir])ose and jL;ave his whole lime to the strnf^f^lc. The laws which he had 
framed himself were well calculated to accomiilisli the desired end. One clause 
prohibited visiting a >aloon. Some startling arrests were made and there was 
furious indignation, hut the cases were tried and convictions followe<l. ( )ne man 
was tried for visiting a saloon, before a judge who was himself in the saloon at 
the time! .\ltogether eighteen cases were tried under this ordinance while .\tlor- 
ney Sumner was in office, and convictions were sccureil in every case. Moreover. 
t!ie Supreme Court sustained all the cases carried to it. 

Other able men succeeded .\ttorney Sumner in the city office, who also won 
important battles for the city, .\mong those who have served in this capacity 
were Robert Loucks. Edwaril J. Fleming. J. Joos and C. W. Guerin. wh<i-e ten 
v.'ii- umw in the office are sufficient evidence of his ability. 

THE CHINESE PROHLEM 

In 188.^ and 188^) the town of Pomona was much excited over the presence 
in its midst of the "hcatlien Chinee." I'or there was a "Chinese \'illage" then 
between First and Second streets and extending east from Garey .\venue — a 
series of cheaii one-story shacks — and there was much coni|)laint because of the 
filth around the village. There were items in the jiapers about it. and occasionally 
an editorial. Toots Martin one day advertised an ".\nti-Chinese Garden." with 
the injunction "I'atronize our own ])eopIe and have done once and for all w ilh the 
heathen." Whether the agitation would have been created if there ha 1 not been 
a general movement against the Chinese throughout the state is doubtful. I'.ut in 
the month of March. 1886, there was organized "The Pomona P.ranch of the Xnn- 
|)artisaii .\nti-Chinese League." The Prot/rcss came out with a boycott editorial, 
ailvising against a wholesale simultaneous boycott as likely to precijiitatc war 
and im])ossible of success, "but a carefully considered and systematized a!tem])t 
a()i)lied to one business after another * * * may win." "John Must Go" is the 
heading of the article in the next issue rc|)orting the proceedings of the secimd 
meeting of the Xon-partisan League. .\t this meeting Toots Martin wa> in the 
chair and C. L Lorbeer i)resented the report of the executive committee. This 
contained four recommenlations. requesting the people: first, ti) with(lr;i\\ patron- 
age from Chinese laborers and merchants; second, to ])atronize the two .\mrrican 
laundries; third, to rejjlace Chinese labor by white; and fourth, to discriminate 
in favor of .\merican goods when purchasing. In the course of the discu>>ion 
which followed. Mr. Eno spoke for the ChiTiese. He thought it wasn't good and 
Chri-tian-like to boycott them. What would become of the 200.000 Chinese in 
the state if this j)lan were carried out? What of the merchants? Should they be 
allowed to starve? .\nd Mr. .\ston, the undertaker, replied; "I have l)een here 
for thirty years |not (|uite) and I have always bi>\cotted the Chinese [iloubtless] 
because 1 knew them to be a damage to the morals of the countrv as well as a 
blight n|>on its material well doing | I] The Chinese are a growing plague-spot 
upon the fiiliirr ■■f our children, and a constant and growing menace to the labor- 
ing masse- I would refuse a Chinaman employment, fyes) but were he 
lumgry Ed ni'i nim| ?] : were he sick Ed nurse him (fancy!) ; were he dead Ed 
bury him!" (verily he would]. P'ollowed then Mr. Hicklin. the liveryman, who 
fleclared that those who o|)pose the boycott only whini|)er. and whine, and dodge, 
and snuirm. but they have no case. "Let the |)eo])le stand together and hvpocrisv 



174 IIIS'l'i )Ry WD I'.K iCRAl'IIV 

niusl stand asiik-."" So the iKiycott was put in operation and "John" was so hard 
hit that he did have to oo. In course ol time the little ehtster of old houses with 
the ]iictnresc|ue i thoni^h (|iiite nntidy i fmnt- with the red and gold paper name 
plate--, in^crihed in liiy Cliinese hierot;ly|)hies, were deserted, and then they were 
all remiived. 

The nnreasiming prejiuliee against ( )rientals as a class had its own way in 
I'omona. as it wonld in many quarters today. Few seemed to have learned to 
discriminate hetween the Chinese merchant or laiindryman or vegetable man who 
is alua_\'s hunest and reliahle, mi the (uie hand, and the Taiwanese speculator who 
corners the vegetables of a v^tate and di-stroys enough of the crop tii maintain his 
high prices, or who illegally ac(|tiires great tracts of land, who can nut In- trvisted 
either in private or in public ati'airs. Shall we ever learn that corrective legisla- 
tion should l)e directed against the evil itself, directly, and not in sweeping evic- 
tion of a race. Mow easily- the nncleanliness of the lower Chinese classes is regu- 
lated and their faithful service to the people retained! The more flagrant and 
national crimes of the Japanese must also he met b\' direct legislation, by far 
more strict and imiversal immigration laws. In' immediate and severe punishment 
of ottenders and by man\ indivi lual deporlalions, rather than by imwarranted 
discrimination against a i>roud nation as a whole. 

( )ne important result of the Chinese agitation wa-- the incorporation of the 
I'oniona Steam Laundry, with J. V>. Camp as president and C. T. IvOrbeer, secre- 
tary The latter raised a large part of the ca]iital stock by solicitatioti. 

OTHER PROBLEMS AND CONTESTS 

\ot all of Pomona's "scrai)s" h.ave been intra-mural. She has shared more 
or less in contests of county and State, as in tile movement in 1885 for a division 
(if the State ( th(nigh by no means unanimously), and in the later struggle to form 
a new count\', to be called San Antonio County and to include the ])ortion of Los 
.Angeles Coimtv from .\zu^a eastv.ard, and die ])ortion of San I'.ernardino County 
from Cucamonga westward. This movement also, though possessing more of 
merit and winning a larger following, was by no means unanimous. There have 
been battles aKo, almost lilerall), between the city antl great corporations demand- 
ing entrance with unwarranted rights. There was the fight against the Sunset 
Telephone Compan\' which undertook to erect its ]ioles without a franchise and 
was only ])reventetl by the actual fighting off of its laborers. City Attorney Loucks 
himself chopping down one of the poles. Combining with Los .Angeles and Pasa- 
den.'i, the case was carried to the Superior Court and won. 

W itliin the nienifiry of many was the ]ilucky tight in clefense of the Salt 
Lake l\ailw;i\''s right of wa\ , when the Southern Pacific attempteil to defeat 
ihem b\- interfering with their laying of track and running a train over the road 
in sjjecilied time. The mayor. W. II. Poston. himself drove about the town 
sending men to the scene with sho\els and hoes: and the foreman of the Southern 
Pacific .gang was spirited away in a wagon till the wurk was done ,ind the fran- 
chise seciu'ed. 

Proljably no event has given Pomona and a 1 'oiiion.i cilizen the notoriety 
that came with the jniblication of the ".Murchison Letter" and the disclosure that 
its author was a I'oniona ni.an. The letter, it will be recalled, was a decoy letter 
written to Lord Sack\ille West, Pritish .Ambassador in the United States, from 
a son of Pritish parentage, asking for advice in his exercise of the newly acquired 



iiis'r< )R^■ AM) i'.i( ick Ai'iiv 175 

right of francliisc. W lu-n tlu- Miircliison Icltcr ami ilic Sackvillu-W i--'. re-|>ly were 
piiblislicd they created a iirofonnd sensation, not only in California lint tlirmiyliont 
this conntry and iMii^lancl. The anthor of the letter was known at fir^t to only 
a select few, inclnding Attorneys 1'. C. 'runner and \\ . .\. Hell, ludjje W. F. 
I'itzijeralil. of the Kepuhlican State I'.xecutive Committee for Sont^lern California, 
and Colojiel ( )tis of the Los .hu/clcs Times. It was to have been a secret nntil 
the day of IVesident Harrison's inangnration, but some one "let the i-it <iut of the 
bag," and Cieorge ( Jsgoodby of Pomona was revealed as the re;d and only writer 
of the "Mnrchison Letter." 

In Xovember. I'MO, after mnch careful study and discussion, a Ilo.uil of 
Freeholders was elected to prepare a new charter for the city, and in March. I'Ml. 
this charter was apiiroved by the Stale Legislature. 

Pomona has had a series of devoted and efficient mayors. The la<t during its 
existence as a municipality of the sixth class was Colonel F. P. I'^irey. under whose 
administration the fine new city hall was erected. Mr. Lee 1\. Mav. the first 
mayor under the new charter, served till lOP^, when he was succeeded bv Mavor 
W. .\. N'andcgrift, recently re-elected after six years of faithful service. 

It is significant that the election of city officers in Pomona has rarely followed 
party lines. Mayors Firey. Poston and \'andegrift, and .\tlorney C.uerin. have 
all been Democrats, when the number of registered Democrats was onlv about 
^00. .Ml were r.ominatel and chosen for merit, regardless of |)artv affiliation. 

During the early nineties Pomona was re|)resented in the Senate of the 
state. In 18S0 Mr. I. K. McComas, who had been identified with the best life and 
growth of the city front its begimnng, was elected on the Keimblican ticket. ,ind 
served for four years as senator for this district. 

In the thirty-two years since its incorporation, the mnnici|5ality of Pomona 
has developed a strong corporate entity and consciousness. It has had its u|is 
and downs, its periods of inactivity, as in the days of depression following the 
boom, and its periods of advance, as in the prosperous years: but on the whole it 
lias a record of which the city niay be proud. 



c"I1.\I'I"i;r I kx 

THI-: FOOTHII.I. CI I IKS AI.().\(, THE SANTA FE 

Cdmixc. (U- Tin: Santa Fk — RAii.knAi) .\tTi\ itii;s — Uuum <]1- .\i;\\ 'I'cw .\siti:s — 
Ei'FKCT OF Santa Fk on Soutiikrx Pacific anu I'dmona— Xuktii Po- 
mona — La \'kr\k, LoRr)S]!inc. ani> Fa \'i:rxi; Cui.i.kcf — Sax Dim as — Min 
Springs — Canm)n Si:tti.i;rs — Tin: Tfaciks — Moind Cnv Land wd 
W'atfr Association — San Josk Ranch Comi'axv — \\.\ti:r Ci.mi'\nii:s 

AXl) LlTK.ATloX — ClTRlS IXDISTRV — CiKOWTIl (F Sax DimAS — CllARTICR 

Oak — Clarkmoxt axu Pomona C<.i.i.fc,i-: — Tm-: lioiwi and Its Chli.ai'SF — 
Fndians and Wii.ds of thic Dfsfrt — Toots Martin — Pkti-.r Fi.k.minc, — 

P.FCINNINI-.S iiF Pomona Col.LKC.IC — ClaRFMONT IlrSINi:sS AND ClTRlS 
FrI'ITS — ScmoL AND CniRCll. 

The upper part of the San Jose \'allev. from the north lines of tlie Raiidio 
San lose to the foothills, has been later in its dcvelopnicnt than !he country 
farther south. Excejit for the settlement at Mud Si>riiigs, and a few scattered 
ranchers and hce men at the canyon mouths, this development hegan with the 
coming of the Santa Fe Railway. This event may be .said to mark the division 
between the prehistoric anfl historic age of tlie foothill towns. I-!astward from 
tile moist lands of Mud Springs to Cucamonga, the whole upper countrv, includ- 
ing the sites of Claremont. I'pland and Fa X'crne, was formerly known as the 
desert. Over it herds of wild antelope roamed, in the sage brush and cactus. 

THE COMI.NC; OF THE SA.NT.A FE 

Rumors of the coming of another transcontinental railway line were hearil 
as early as 1875. but it was not until 18'85 that these rumors had any basis in fact. 
On the first of January, 188.^, it was reported that an official of the .\tlantic and 
I'acific Railway was visiting Los .\ngcles in the interests of terminal connections 
for that road, and the i)rc(liction was made that trains would be ru:ining from 
Pa.sadena to San Pernardino l)y January L 1886. \\'(iuld the road come by way 
of Pomona, or what route would it follow? At this time there were three railway 
systems which were evidently working to establish overland conin-ction?, the 
Atchison, Tojieka and Santa I'e, the .\tlantic and Pacilic, and the California 
Southern. Put the jjublic was informed repeatedly that they were not the same 
roarl at all, though some of the same stockholders were in each.- It was necessary 
then for people coming to Pomona by the Santa F'e and I'nion Pacilic to come 
first to Los .\ngcles and ])ay local fare from there to Pomona via the Southern 
Pacific. 

The California Southern had built its line from Colton to San Diego and 
was nmning trains ( i)y a contract with the Southern Pacific I from San Diego 
via Oceansidc. Murrietta, Perris and Colton to Pomona and Los .\ngeles, and 
also over the Cajon Pass to connect with the .\tlantic and Pacific at P.arstow. 



178 ITTSTf^RY AND lUOGRAPHY 

In < )ctnl)cT of 1SS3 its (.-(instnu-lioii crew druvo the last sj)ike. which cstabhshcd 
cdiiiu'Ction iHrc-ctly witli the East. 

Arraiis^cnic-nts were made hy whicli v'santa l'"e trains t'rcini the I'.asl came from 
Ccilliin to l.os Angeles over the tracks of the Southern Pacific Railway. This 
arran"enient cimtinued for a year and a half and nothinj;- was heard of the direct 
line for sonu- time. The first of January, LSXh, came and the first of January. 
1887, hnt no railway. However, in November and December. 188r). surveying 
parties were noted running lines west from the San Gabriel and past Mud Springs. 
r>v the first week in January, construction forces of the "Los Angeles and San 
Gabriel \'alley Railroad" had crossed the San Gabriel wash and were pushing 
t<jward ^lud Springs. At the same time a gang of men were working westward 
from San Pernardino for the California Southern. During January and February, 
the conung railwa\- was the most absorbing topic of conversation. It was defi- 
nitely announced that the A. T. ami S. F. Company had jiurchased the San Gabriel 
N'allev Railway. A gap of only thirty-five miles remained. \\'liat would be its 
l)alh across the \'alle\-? Then came the representatives of the railroad to arrange 
terms for the right of way. 

In February, 1887, about a diizen officials of the Los Angeles and San Gabriel 
\allev Railroad, in Judge Firev's office, met about twenty interested landowners, 
and separate agreements were drawn n|) granting right of way. with certain 
provisos as to the location of stations ami sto])ping of trains. Ten acres at North 
I'oniona were deeded by E. D. Rice, George Parsons and A. R. Aleserve. It had 
not lieen decided whether the station should be called North Pomona or Palo- 
mares or Palermo. C. V. Loop and others deeded a one-hundred-foot right of 
way throuL;li the ])r<iposed town of Clareniont, and passenger and freight stations 
were located on the east and west of .\le.\amler .\venuc. (Ithers deeded the right 
of wav east through Alud Springs. 

.\ boom of new tnwnsites along the right of way follnwed at once as a 
matter of course. In March there was a sjiecial excursion to .\zusa, wdiicb. was 
for the moment the terminu> of the San Gabriel A'alley road. The Slausons, 
I. S. and }.. officers of the new .\zusa Land and ^^'ater Company, were in the 
jiartw Here, at the time of the auction sale, people stood in line all night to get 
a good choice of lots, and some paid fifty dollars f<ir place in the line. 

The new town of San Dimas was launched with much success by the San Jose 
Land Companw organized b\- Al. L. W icks. and including thirt\- or forty others, 
among them a railway official wdiose inside knowdedge was valual)le. The lands 
ofTered for sale liv the companv included not only the town of San Dimas, but 
.'dl of the vSan Jose .\ddition. which was subdivided into twenty-acre lots. 

The boom sale was typical. The only building in sight was the boom hotel 
built bv the company. P>rass bands accompanied the excursionists and there was 
much excitement. One eager buyer who had selected a lot from the tnap went 
t(i the sjjot to see what it looked like before making his purchase, only to fin<l. 
when he returned tn the auctioneer, that the lot had been sold. More eager than 
ever then, he liought another on faith, and went afterward to look at it. This he 
foimd in a deep gully. "Well." he said. "I shall not have to do any excavating." 

( )n the old homestead iif W. N. Davis, south of ("dendora, a new town, called 
.Mosta, was laid out by George F. Gar<I and D. ^\ . b'ield, ;md Int^ amounting to 
$.30,000 were sold at auction. 

Clareniont, which seems to have been also "on the inside." came first among 
the towns farther east in its incorporation, advertising anfl auction sale. This is 



lllSToKV AXi) r.KK-.KAl'llV 17') 

easily iiiKicrstond when (nic notes, in the list of tlic nieniher-i of t!ic company 
oftjanizcd to promote the town, the names of I-". S. Reij^art of Topeka. anil 
William Dnmi. general aj^ent of the California Southern Railroad. Thi- i-.mi- 
pany was incorporated Jrinuary 10. 1SS7. nmler the name of the I'.icitic Land 
Im|)rovement Company. It included also I*.. P". Kingman and deorge II. 1'uller- 
ton of Riverside, tlie latter president of the company. The auction sale of Clare- 
mont lots was held .\pril 14. after a month of judicious advertising. In May, on 
the J.^lli, was the ojjcning sale of lots ;it I.ordsluirg. an<l a week later that of 
I'aloniares. as Xorth I'omona was then called. \\ holesale advertising prece Icil 
each i)nl)lic sale. The local and city ])apers ])ul)lishe<l long articles and colnnnis 
of announcements ahont tlie new towns and their auction sale-;. "Clarenii'nt the 
I'eaiitiful" hecame a li\-word: one article said, '"There is im douht hut that every 
lot will he reailily <a](\. I'.efore the railroad connects with I,os Angeles. Claremont 
will he a goi id-size town, with post, express, telephone, telegraph, hotel and news- 
pa|>er offices, stores and re-'idences." The clear mountain view, the artesian water 
already tlowing in the town, and the attractions of the canyon and mountains all 
were lauded to the skies. 

.\ttractions of the I'alomares townsite were that two street railways would 
soon connect it with I'omona. Messrs. Fircy, French and Company had a franchise 
for a line up Ciarey .\venue. and I'ackanl and White had one up San .\nlonio 
.Avenue. Me-^erve and Rice advertised "No chenanekin (sici, no jiool, no fixed 
price list." 

The Claremont sale was really a remarkahle success, due chielly to the genial 
manner and good tactics of I'rank Miller, whose preliminary campaign as general 
agent of the company had jireiJared the way. and of Col. W. IT. Ilolahiri', who 
conducted the sale. Workmen were actually cngage<l in Kiying railway track 
'hrough the town while the sale was in progress. 

At the great pageant in I'M.l. celehrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of 
Pomona College, the scenes of this sale were re-enacted. Colonel Tlolahird himself 
taking his old part. 

The sale at I.,orflshurg was also "an immense success." Three brass l)an(ls 
conducted as many excursion ])arties to tlie place. Twenly-five hundred people 
were present and lots amounting to $200,000 were sold. One purchaser, ITernian 
Silver, gave S14.000 f<ir I'.lock 71. hut the .sales averaged from S2.^0 tn S.=;00 
each. .\t the Palomares auctiijn a week later, the sale realized somewhat less 
than $30,000. 

before considering these new towns more in detail the influence of the new 
railroad ujion Pomona and upon the Southern Pacific ma\- he noted. The con- 
trast between the policies of the two roads was striking. liefore the advent of 
the Santa I'e there was only one local train a day to Los .\ngeles, and that a |ias- 
scngcr car on a local freight. One would leave Pomona at ahout eight o'clock in 
the morning and arrive ahout noon. Returning, one might take an overland 
freight at sundown and reach Pomona about two o'colck in the night. As one 
old-timer sail. "The policy of the ol<l road was 'the public be damned': the policy 
rif the Tiew road was to cater to the imblic in every way." This resulted in a 
marked im|)rovcmcnt in the .service of the Southern Pacific also. When it was 
evident that the Santa Fe would pass north of the city a movement was started 
at once to make connection< with it. Colonel Firey, Charles FVench and others 
formed a comiiany and built the line to Palomares (Xorth i'omona) by way of 



180 11IST()R\" .VXD nKiGRAPHV 

Carey and ( )range ('.rove avenues. This was completed and a "dummy'" was 
rnimini^ (i\er the road soon after the railroad was finished. 

NORTH POMONA 

( )f the four Santa Fe towns within the region covered in this history, the one 
nearest to Pomona was perhaps least likely, on account of its location, to become 
a large place, although just as highly favored by Nature as the others. The most 
attractive feature given the town by its promoters, the name of Palomares. has 
been changed to the uninteresting designation of North Pomona. Essentially a 
citrus growing district its chief buildings are the packing houses of the Indian 
Hill Citrus .\ssc)ciation. .\ number of comfortable residences have been built 
among the orange groves. Its chief distinction is in the great Richards Orange 
Orchard, for a long time the largest orange grove in tiie world. 

LA VERNE, LORDSBURG AND LA VERNE COLLEGE 

Since the town of Lordsburg has combined witli the town of La \'erne and 
taken the name of La \'erne City, it may be forgotten that they were formerly 
two distinct towns. Lying to the north of the City of Lordsburg. and the town- 
sites of Palomares and North Palomares, La \'erne extended from Claremont on 
the east to San Dimas on the west, the line of division being the old Dalton parti- 
tion line, which is now the eastern line of B. A. Woodford's Valencia grove. 
Northward the district reaches over the mountains and is co-terminal with the 
eountw The town itself was located on the highlands below the fiiothills which 
divitle the San Dimas and San Gabriel basin on tlie west from the San Antonio 
and Santa Ana basin on the east. In their choice of soil and climate and view, 
the settlers of La N'erne made no mistake: in all these it is unexcelled. (Inly the 
location of the railway caused other towns, no more favored otherwise, to out- 
strip this one in population. And one of the preliminary surveys for the Santa 
Fe did ])ass through its center. .\ fine class of people composed its founders, 
among whom were L. H. llixby, Solomon Gates, Dr. H. A. Reid antl AI. L. 
Douglas. A newsjiaper called the La I'cnic Xczcs was started in 1888, published 
bv lohn vS\nies and edited by Dr. II. A. Reid. ^Ir. Frank \\'heeler was one of 
l^a X'erne's most earnest backers, and though his residence is now in Claremont, 
he is still loyal to the many superlative merits, of La \"erne. 

?vIore than once the ])lace seemed likely to die for want of water. At times 
orange growers had to haul water in wagons for their trees, and the sources of 
supply were as remote as San Dimas and San Antonio canyons. La Verne men 
were interested in boring for water on Indian Hill. Of the eighteen-year contest 
with San Dimas over its canyon supply, one writer said, "The case has finally 
been settled amicably to all parties. San Dimas and La \'erne both get the canvon 
water in winter, when neither of them want it, and both districts go witliout it 
in the summer lime, when there is no water in the cauA'on, ami when it is most 
needed." The same writer gives this account of the origin of the La \'erne Land 
and Water Company: "Many ranchers in La \"erne * ■■' ■■- would be hauling 
water to their trees in tank-wagons today but for the magnanimitv of R. A. 
Wallace, who in 1899 owned a choice orange and lemon grove of twenty acres. 
Wallace bought fifteen acres of miimiiroved land, i)ut down a well to a depth of 
310 feet, b\' way of an experiment, and was surprisecl to find, when tested, that 



IIIS'^()R^■ \\i) i;i( x'.RAiMiv i8i 

lie piinipcd incr forty iiiclK-s of water. This was more llian lie iicedcil. lie 
could have sold it at a fancy price. Instead of this, however, he called his frieivls 
and neighbors together and gave them the fifteen acres and the well at exact cost to 
him. Thus La X'erne Land and W ater Com])any was formed, all the stockhohlefs 
being ranchers of the conmumity. Only recently this com))any has been reorgan- 
ized as the La \'erne Water Com|)any, combining with it the Live Oak Water 
Company, Mesa Land and Water Company, and La \'erne Heights Water Com- 
pany, with 1". R. Curtis as president, and R. L. Davis, secretary." 

It is onlv within a few years, that Lordsburg. like St. IVterslnirg. dropped 
its "burg" and. uniting with its neighbor and rival to the north, adopted its more 
euphonious and attractive name of La \'erne City. It was first named Lordsburg 
because it was Lord's burg. .\ Mr. I. \\'. Lord bought the property of Col. 
George Heath and others north of the Mud Springs Road, and organized a com- 
panv to promote the new town. It was at this time that L W. Sallec sold his 
ranch for some S.^0,000, a fabulous sum to one who had never seen so much 
monev in all his life, .\fter this he was often seen about town, very much "stuck 
up." in an ill-fitting suit of clothes and a stove-pipe hat. The town was laid out 
with broad streets bordered with eucalyptus trees, and a number of buildings were 
put up. especially a large hotel building, the biggest of all the string of "boom" 
hotels that marked the young towns on the new^ road. 

Soon, however, came the bursting of the boom and all development ceased. 
There remained, of course, the Mexican ranchers on their large estates south 
and west of the townsitc, tlie \'ejars and Yorbas, the Sotos and Carrions. To 
the north of the town proper and in La \'erne a considerable acreage had been 
planted to citrus fruits, and ranchers had established their homes. Xotable among 
these ranches was the Evergreen Ranch of \W acres, purchased of the Sotos in 
1884 by J. A. Packard of Chicago, who acquired a fortune in the manufacture 
of "Frazer's .Axle Grease,"' bought the ranch, built a fine residence and developed 
a place often visited because of its beauty. Mr. Packard's example has been 
followed by others, especially in recent years, so that the place is known for its 
fine groves and its foothill homes. 

Besides the citrus groves to the north and cattle and grain ranches to the 
south, there was yet another clement which helped to keep the town .ilive. during 
the slum)) in real estate and other activities which followed the boom. The huge 
caravansary built by Lord's company, after standing empty for some years, 
attracted a group of the Church of the Brethren, or Dunkers, sometimes called 
Dunkards. who saw in it an ideal center for a colony. In 1S"*1 the building and 
grounds were purchased by a company of these men. consisting of David and 
Henry Kuns. Samuel Overholtzer and Daniel Ilouser, who became the trustees 
of the Lordsburg College. This name was changed to La \'crne College later, 
when Lordsburg became La \'erne City. The importance of this institution lies 
in the fact that it is the only college of the Church of the P.rethren west of 
McPherson, Kans. Organized at first by its trustees as a .stock company, the 
properly was formally taken over by the Church of the Brethren in 1*^08. From 
the first the Kunscs were the mainstay of the College, giving lavishly of their 
means and time and counsel. The first president was Dr. S. F. Garst. who served 
from 1801 to 1803. Others who have followed were K. .\. Miller, ISO.MSOO; 
W. I. T. Hoover. 18')0-1001 : W. C. Hanawalt. 1902-1008: W. F. Fnsrland, 
1008-1012: J. P. Dickey, 1012-lOLS: Edward Frantz, 101,^-10L=;: and Dr. S. J. 
Miller, the present incumbent. From its founding until 1012 the work was chiefly 



182 inST()l>:V AXI-) lUOGRArilV 

of academic .yrade, Init in 1''12 Dr. W. I. 'I'. Hoover reori^anized the worlc ami 
cstalilished the cullegiate course leading to the Liachelor of Arts degree. 

Another institution tinancetl by H. L. Kuns is the David and Margaret Home 
for Children. 'I'lu- I.a \erne Hotel building, erected as a bourn Imltl, has thus 
lieen transfurnied iiitu a valuable and useful institution. 

The I, II I'mir Leader, formerly the I.oydshurij-La J'cnic Lanier, first ap- 
peared ]\la\- 1-', l''l(). W . A. Adams was its first publisher and eclitnr. ( )ther 
papers had had onl\- a very brief or spasmodic existence l)efore this lime, auKing 
then the La I'cnic A'ccCj, mentioned above, and the Lordsburg Sunbeam, which 
appeared in 1899: but the Leader has grown steadily from its first appearance 
into an established place. John M. Reed and M. M. Webb followed Adams in the 
conduct of the pa]>er. Then came the "leadership" of William 11. Greene from 
1912 until recentl\- ( 1''18) I'lrich Knoch. a well-known p\dili>her of Los Angeles, 
has taken it over. 

The change nf name fi'nm Lurdsburg to La \'erne City was accomplished in 
August, I'M", there being practically no opposition to the change. The occasion 
was celebrated \\illi ;i public wedding in which 'Aliss Lordsbnrg" was weddeil to 
"Mr. La \ erne," with ;ip|iro|)riate ceremonies, a ban(|uet anil much festivit\-. 

SAN DI]\LAS 

In the "prehistoric" days of San Dimas, there was no town of this name, but 
from the verv first nf this story much has been said of "Mud Springs," as one 
of the stations on the ( )verland vSlage route, where horses were watered and fed 
between El Monte and Cucamonga. There was not even a settlement here in those 
(lavs, onlv a house or two and some liarns where Mr. Clancy lived in charge of the 
station. The place was called Mud Springs because of a number of springs or 
cicnegas, two large ones especially, which made the whole region mar.shy. Teams 
could not drive across it, and if one got stuck in the mud or tnrf a whole acre 
would shake with his struggles. When the Santa I'e Railway was built across 
the cienega, north of the old road, it was necessary to drive piling deep down 
and plentifidly to secure a solid road bed. The name "Mud Springs" is retained 
as a station of the Pacific Electric Railway. 

The canyon north of Mud Springs was early called San Dimas. Its name, 
according to Ramon \'ejar, originated in this curiousI\- tri\ial circumstance. 
When ^'gnacio Raloniares first p.astnre.I his herds in this part of the counfrv, he 
built a rude corral up in the c.aindn in \\hich to kec]) some of his cattle at times. 
I'.ut il was far from their hacienda and the Indians would run them off again 
and again, until he gave it up in disgust and called the canyon "San Dimas," after 
the one who was crucified witli Christ and repented before his death on the cross, 
because, forsocith, he also re|)ented of ha\'ing chosen this as a place of refuge for 
his stock! Sometime in the later sixties, as has been noticed, the Cunninghams 
"took up" a (|uar(er section of government land, including a part of San Dimas 
Canyon, and the family lived here for a number of years, lletweeu the Cun- 
ninghams ;uid the north line of Dalton's, or San Jose Addition, was the ranch of 
Cyrus liurdick, also referred to earlier, where is now the C. C. Warren place. 

Here in San Dimas Canyon li\'cd also Henr}- Dalton himself, wdiere in his 
later years he found himself bereft of friends ;md fortiuie, worsted at last through 
inlermiu.able lilig.ition. .\s sonii' one has said, "He was alwavs lawing." .\nd 
>o in l,s!S4 he li\ed in a litlU- sh.ick, with his Mexican wife, cultivating a little 



HISTOID' AXI) I'.K )C.kAI'll\ \M 

patch of potatoes, and almost or f|iiilc forgotten \>y the worM wliicli was formerly 
so ready to give liim respect. 'I'lius lie was foiiiul one day l)y Mr. l'"rerl |. Smith. 
who ha<I a letter of introduction to him, at the lime of his coming to Sontiiern 
California, from one who had heen a [)artner of Dalton in his l)elter <l;i\s and 
still sn])|)osetl him to lie a man of large means and inlUience. 'I'hey had heen 
together in mining and other ventures in South America, and had each cleared 
np $JO(),OrH), so it is said. "He is a line fellow." the partner >aid. "who own> 
great tracts of land : hut he has one failing — his fondness for lawsuits."' So this 
was the end of one who had owned a third of the San lose Kancho. all of the 
Azusa. and the San I-rancisciuiio ranchos. many tlmusand-. nl acres, inclu ling 
some of what is now the higliest ])riced farming land in the world. 

Well known among the first settlers in this vicinity were the Marlins. W. C. 
and W. '1'.. who were also pioneers in El Monte. In 1869. Toots Martin (W. T. ) 
came with his family to the mouth of vSan Dimas Canyon, east of the Cunning- 
hams, lo engage in farming and keeping of hees. which he did for two years, 
when he moved to the east of Indian llill, as we shall sec later. In tlie following 
year. 1872. his faliier, W'm. C. Martin, or L'nde IJilly. sold out his hotel at Kl 
Monte and purchased a homesteader's claim to \(:0 acres on the highlands and 
foothills at the mouth of the canyon. For fifteen years he lived here on his fool- 
hill ranch, farming and raising hees. until in 1887 he sold the |)roiKrty to the San 
Jose Land and Water Company and moved to I'omona. Though at some di>tance 
from other pecjple. he was a well-known and intlueiilial man. "straight and gen- 
erous to a fault" as a neighhor said. 

t)f those who came to the San Dimas region in the early davs and have made 
it their home. si>nie of them to the jiresent time, the Teague families are the 
oldest. Mr. C. I'. Teague came with others of the Mound City Land ami Water 
.\ssociation. which bought the Daltnn interests in .\zu-a and in the San Jose 
Ffancho and its additions, in ( ktoher, 1878. Jasjier \. Teague. his son. came as a 
surveyor for this comjiany. anrl having the power of attorney in all affairs i)erl.-nn- 
ing lo the com|)any for his father, who diil not settle here till later. .\l thi- time 
there was not a house within miles of Mud Springs; nothing except ihe chimney 
of an old house, prohahly the Clancy house, which had heen the station for the 
stages when they ran hy way of Mud Springs. Against this f)Id chinnieN. not 
far from one of ihe larger s])rings. the Tcagnes huilt their house, when J. \. 
Teague had heen joined by his brother. David C. Teague. .\bove the barn whicli 
they also huilt was another spring. The aft'airs of the Mouni Citv comoanv did 
not prospiT and the Teagues turnerl their attention to raiding grain, llegmning 
the first of January. 187'). they jilowed a thousand acres and i)Ianled it to grain. 
Piut the cro|> was a failure, returning only four sacks of grain to the acre. The 
supply of water was very meager, only a miner's inch of water from the can von 
for 7.000 acres of land. This was supplemented with a little from the San 
Ciabriel. but the head was too small and Duartc. farther west, had it two davs in 
the week first. On the east bank of the cicncga they hail sunk a well which 
yielded a ten-inch flow at first, but in the dry years this gave out. The abandoned 
shaft of this first well may still be seen. They raised some sheep and cattle aUo. 
but under great odds. .Ml the stock had to be driven to the stream on ibc Carrion 
place when the water in the cienegas was low. rndaimted they planted again 
the next season and were rejoicing in a luxuriant croj) of grain. t;dl and heavv — 
as fine a stand of grain as could be grown — when again they were disap|)ointed. 
The spring wa- unusually wet, and week followed week witli practically no vmi- 



1S4 T1IS'1~{)R^■ AM) I'.IoC.RArilV 

sliiiic nt all. In four da\s tlu'\ lust it all. So for nearly three years there seemed 
nothing lint hard kick and niisforlinie. And the end was not yet. I'efore the 
third cro|i was harvested the Monnd City company failed and the property 
passed into the hands of J. S. Slauson of Los Angeles, who held mortgages 
against the com])any and finally foreclosed, bidding in all its holdings at the face 
of the mortgage. The Teagnes lost what they had put into the company and 
most of the land which they were purchasing. They were obliged to move, but 
were allowed to move their buildings, and got something for the crop. .Still the 
Teagnes were not defeated. The father, C. P. Teague, had joined his sons in 
1881, and Harvey and Robert, two other brothers, had also come. Buying and 
leasing more land, they pitched in harder than ever and began to get ahead. 
At one time they had leased 7,000 acres, including all of the San Jose Addition. 
The elder Teague was peculiarly fortunate in locating wells, seeming to sense in 
some way the underground streams of water. After a time the interests of the 
family in the Addition were given over largely to the two brothers, J- N. and 
D. C. Teague. In 1887 the two divided their interests here, the latter remaining 
in San Dinias. while the former moved to Pomona. J. N. Teague had married 
Anna, the second daughter of Cyrus Burdick, and for a dozen years or more 
the family lived in their attractive home on Park Avetuie. During this time he 
was busy with many interests — raising grain, threshing, growing citrus fruits and 
contracting, always directing large gangs of men and buying and selling property. 
He was a "live wire" and an influential man in the city, imtil his removal to Los 
Angeles. Since then, by his tremendous energy, his intelligent management and 
good judgment he has become one of the largest growers of vegctaliles in the 
Southwest, handling large contracts for the government, and an exjx'rt in agri- 
culttirc and soils. 

After the father, C. P. Teague. had been here for a time, he retunu-d to 
their home in the Nprth, to sell their old ranch. \\ bile there the mother died and 
the father came back to ]\Iud Springs. There were also four daughters. On his 
return C. P. Teague with his son. Robert. leased several thousand acres of what 
became La \ erne for farming and grazing, building about a <|uartcr of a mile tip 
the road from Mud Springs, near the present Santa Fe crossing. David C. and 
Robert M. Teague, the oldest and youngest sons, are still living in v'^an Dimas, 
the former a little east of the old jilace, and the latter by his nursery in the heart 
of the town. 

Turning our attention now to another early settler in San Dimas. one 
who came to the region shortly after J- N. and D. C. Teague and has remained 
until the present time is Kli ^\'. Schuler. He is thus also one of San Dimas' oldest 
living residents. Still vigorous in body and keen of mind, he recalls with much 
satisfaction the times of forty years ago. His family had come to California in 
1864. After a visit to the \"alley in 187'1 he decided to come here to live. His 
mother had come from Iow;i on account of asthma, and had bought a land claim 
of John Paine. T<'roni a recital of his own recollections one gathers an interesting 
impression of the surroimdings of that time. For, as he says, he knew all the 
old-timers intimately — the Cunninghams, tlie Martins, the Burdicks and the 
Teagnes. who came aliout the same time. He was a "partner of Coloriel Heath in 
the haypress." He worked during harvest for "Chino Phillips." For some time 
he assisted Haticock, the surveyor, and has since been valuable to other surveyors 
in locating old corners and tracing out old lines. He had a high respect for 
Hancock who surveyed the county "When it was sectionized by the Government, 



HISTORY AM) I'.lOC.KAI'in • 1X5 

after the Treaty <>t (iod-a-louj) i (iiiailalui)c )" and of whom he says: "lie l<:i(i\vi-(l 
how to run a siraij^lu line, and he knowcd how to measure one. if I'c- ha(hi't as 
nnich echication as some." Fnjm liis contact with surveyors lie has i nio^t com- 
nicndahle and somewhat rare respect for corner slakes and landmarks of every 
sort. "Me and Tonner liad many a scrap with folks who would tamper w'th the 
corners and move stakes over to suit their own convenience." And he had a j,'ood 
word for Tonner. "He always fjot the lion's share, hut he had awfully i^ood 
traits and he had an awfully nice woman in Mrs. Tonner. Tonner thoni^ht the 
Mexicans as good as any. ( )nce there was a raffle and voting for the prettiest 
j^irl in tiie X'alley. "Mother King's" daughter was getting a large share of the voles, 
when Tomier came in, asked how many she had and how many votes tiiere were. 
Then he said. 'I'ut uj) your money. Schuier: no use to tlirow it away. I don't like 
to see this husincss so one-sided,' and cast a majority vote for a prelty Mexican 
girl." 

Schuier was rlcputy sheriff under Ilamncr. Cline and others, and knew liilly 
Rowland well, though he did not serve under him. "I was always a Repu!)lican." 
lic says. "They tried to raise me a Democrat, hut I was spoiled in the makin'." 
But he claims a good friend in the stanch Democrat. F. M. Slaughter, of wlioni 
he tells many stories. "Slaughter was a good story teller — told them well and 
liked to. After the emigrants came from the Kast he woidd tell a lot of harrowing 
stories about the Indians, as peo])le were sitting on the porch in front of his home 
at Rincon. and then, as some harmless Indian came up, he would sIkiuI, "Indians, 
by G — . Scluiler, Indians,' and pretend to be terribly scared, while the visitors 
ran to hide, really frightened." Schuler's own stories of crossing the plain- were 
blood-curdling enough. A hundred men. he says, were necessary as guards for 
the train, and these men nnist be able to hit a mark, three bidlets out of the. at 
sixty yards. Of Mrs. John P.rown, who was in the party, he says, "P.raver woman 
never lived: I saw her kill three Indians." There was great danger of stampeding 
the cattle, and this was done not only by the Indians but by Mormons who often 
incited them to misciiief. "The Mormons in them days." he says, "were regidar 
Bull-she-vys." When Mr. Schuier came to Mud Springs he "farmed."' One sea- 
son he had 1.000 sacks of barley. 6.000 sacks of wheat, which he sold at tifiv 
and sixty cents a hundred, and 300 tons of hay. which he was to sell at $ '..^0 a 
ton, but he says, '"The fclltjw busted on me, and I only got two dollars a ton.'" 
Mr. Schuier has acquired considerable property during his long residence here 
and is still a hard-working citizen, whose place could not easily be fil'ed. 

While this story does not include the history of Glendora, Charter ( )nk ami 
Covina, a brief reference may here be made to some things of interest in the 
country soulh and west of San Dimas. In 1880 a considerable amount o'' land 
called the Covina Tract, was luirchased by two brothers from Costa Rica, liv the 
name of P.adillo, who made payments on the purchase in part with mone\ bor- 
rowed through llollenbcck of the First National Rank of T.os .Angeles. Though 
industrious and making various improvements, they were unable to complete their 
payments. The times were inauspicious and it became necessary for the bank 
to foreclose. This would have left the P.aflillos penniless, and one of them left 
precipitately, but the other won the ailmiration of Mr. IloIIenbeck, who. it i- saiil. 
had been a poor boy and left Missouri with only three dollars in his pocket. More- 
over, Mr. IloIIenbeck had lived in Costa Rica, and had ac(|uirefl mmuc money 
raising cofTee there, so was especially interested in P.adillo and deeded t.i bini a 



186 11IST( )kV AM) 1'.|()(~.!-;A1'II^■ 

imndrod acres of tlic iiropert) , mi a [xirt of wliicli the city (if Covina has arisen 
since. 

'i"o trace the title tn the himls (if San Diiiias in the "|)rehist(iric" days, one 
must <ro hack aj^ain tn the Mexican grants of 1837 and the following years. It 
will he recalled that Don Lnis Arenas received a grant from the Mexican gov- 
eninieiU of an undivided third interest in the Rancho San Jose and in th.e San 
Jose .\ddition, also full title to the Azusa Rancho, north of Puente and adjoining 
the San Jos(j Addition on the west. All this iiroperty Arenas sold to ITenry 
Da!ti.>n, and the sale was confirmed Decemljer 2-1, liS44, hy Manuel l\e(|uena. first 
ronslitntional alcalde, and endorsed hy Josi.- Antonio Carillo, I'io I'ico and Andres 
I'ico, "Commandantes of Si|ua(lron," and commissioners ap|)ointed for this service. 
In Jime. 18M>. Dalton deeded to one l''rancois L. A. Pioche for $5,000 an undi- 
vided half (if his interest in the .San }i>bC- Rancho, and three years later, for 
SIO.OOO he ga\e the same Francois L. A. Pioche a mortgage for these four 
ranches: "the .\znsa Rancho. containing one scjuare league, the Rancho San Jose 
.Addition, containing one square league, the Rancho San Francisquito, containing 
two s(|uare leagues, and the Rancho San Jose?.'" For several years the mortgage 
was renewed for decreasing amotnits, his wife. Guadalupe Zamorano de Dalton 
then signing the mortgage with him. Then Pioche died and in May. 1874, his 
executors served notice of action to foreclose. ( )n October 1, 1874, Dalton bor- 
rowed $20,000 of the Los .Angeles County Pank. which had recently organized 
with J. ,S. Slauson and J. .\1. Griffith among its incorporators. The mortgage 
given on this date to the bank, covering all his interest in the four ranchos. and 
the previous mortgages to Pioche. were the sources of endless litigation between 
the ]);nik and the Pioche heirs on the one hand and the Daltons. or Lewis W'olfskill, 
their attorney, on the other. Mr. W'olfskill did his best to save his client, and for 
a time .^00 acres in the Azusa Rancho were reserved for a homestead. 

( )n lamiar\' 27. 1877. the Probate Court record shows that W'olfskill took 
over from the I'ioche heirs all of Dalton's indebtedness to them, his mortgages 
and title-- in\iilved, giving them $40,000 therefor, $.5,000 in cash and the balance 
in notes scciu'ed by mortgage to all the .Azusa and San Jose ranchos (except the 
500-acre homestead). Dalton having deeded his attorney everything. In the midst 
id' this little tangle the Mound City Land and Water Association came on the stage. 
This company was incorporated July 25, 1878, with a capital stock of $200,000. 
James P). and David II. Scawell. Thomas H. LIudson. W. A. Spurlock. George 
W'. Morgan and Lewis W'olfskill were the larger stockholders. These were 
joined two months later by J. X. Teague and his father, and by James IL and 
W'ni. T. Claris. ( )n this date an agreement was secured by vSeawell and others 
as individuals, with W'olfskill and the Daltons to convey to them all the Rancho 
.\zusa, all right and title in the Rancho San Jos(? and its .Vdditinn and all water, 
water rights and franchises ])ertaining to these properties ( which included some 
rights in the San (jabriel River). The consideration was $140,000. of wdiich 
.SIO.OOO was paid down. $25,000 was due in, sixty days and the lialance in two 
aunu;d p;i\nients. All these interests were made over by these indix'iduals to the 
Mound Cit\- Land .-nid Water .\ssociation, October 2, 187S. At the same time 
the\- ga\e W'olfskill a mortgage on the whole projierty for the sum of $105,000, 
L'i\cii in the form of two efiual notes, on each of which he i)aid down $.iL000, 
the mortgage being ;il once assigned to the Farmers and Alerchants P.ank. Now 
apjiears the ghost. Six months later the Los .Aiigeles ConiUy Hank brought suit 
against the naltnns, W'nlfskill and tift\( li other defendants enumerated indi- 



IIIS'l'i )\<\' AM) l'.l( )C.k AI'IIN' 1S7 

vidiiallv and as coriwrations. asking jndgincni f"r over $22.(J(JO. After many 
suniinims and dennirrers tlie specter of llie niiirt!.'age becomes very real in the 
jierson of tlie slierilT, who is ordercl to sell the f rip|)erty at anclion. 

My tliis time claims were allowed of over $60,000, and the sheriff's -ale in 
Jnne. ISSO. realized $55.0(X). of whicii the Los An.u'eles Comity i'.ank lo.ik S.'r.OOl) 
anil the executors of I'ioche. Ijy S. 1.. Theller. Cnstave Tonchard and (iiislave 
Diissol. took SvW.OOO. XimuToiis other sheriff sales followed as other claims were 
presented anil allowed. In the next five years the fimr great ranches of thousand'^ 
of acres were tossed hack and forth like a haskethall, or as in a game of battledore 
and shnttlecock. dee<l after deed was made rmt for the whole property, and 
mortgages were assigned and reassigned, with anionnts at issne rnnning from 
Sl.OOO to SlOO.aX). Wolfskin to Cardwell. Daltons an<l Wolfskill to the Los 
Angeles C<iimty I'.ank. Wolfskill to Sabichi. Dalton to Sahichi. the I'ioche execn- 
«ors to J. Mora Moss, and then to Martz an<l Martz, everybody by the shvritT to 
die Los .\ngelcs County Hank, et cetera ad infinitum! Ihit as early as April. 
18S0. the Mound City Land and Water Association deeded its entire interest in 
•he four ranchos to ]. S. Slanson. and in the end everybody else had done the 
same thing, the last transfer being that of W'idney and Smith and the Los Angeles 
County Liank. on April 15. 1S87. \'<y this time Henry Dalton. his creditor 1-Vancois 
L. A. Pioch.e. his attorney. Lewis Wolfskill. (bis Mexican wife, Ciuaaaluiie, too, 
doubtless I and the other princi|)als. were all dea.l. the first boom and its conse- 
quent depression were ])ast. and another company was coming ujion the stage 
with a new and bigger boom. 

When it became evident that the new railway was to run through the \'alle\' 
north of the San Jose hills, M. L. Wicks, who bad been associated with C. '1". 
Mills in organizing the Pomona Land and Water Company, now formeil a new 
com|)any, including in it one or two officials of the Santa Fe Railroad and several 
who bad been interested in the Mound City Asso'-iation. The largest stockbcilders 
were M. L. Wicks. George W. Hughes, R. F. L'jlspeich and !•". Sabichi but more 
than thirty others were incUnled, exclusive of some whom Wicks represented as 
trustee: and the holdings ran from three shares to seven hundred. The capital 
r>tock of 3,000 one-hundred-dollar shares was all snl)scribed. 'J'his company was 
incorporated February J8, 1887, as the San Jose Ranch Comi>an\. and in the next 
two months received from J. S. Slanson (and nominally from others i title to all 
the Dalton interests and the Mound City Association interests in the two ranches 
known as the Rancbo San Jose and the Ranclio San Jose A<ldition. The consid- 
eration in the Slanson deal was $1.^0,000. for half of which he took a i)romissory 
note for S75,000. receiving a mortgage on tlie whole proiiert\-. but agreeing to 
release from its lien blocks of lan<i as sold, under ccri.iin conditions. It was -ti|>u- 
lated (hat the Teague brothers were not to be disturbed in their lease (tf the land 
(luring the current season. The com])any also bought of Louis l'hillii)s '/i5)4 
acres at the northwest corner of his half of the San Jose Ranchi>. Thus the new- 
company ac(|uire(l possession of a large part 'if the land north of tlie San Jose 
hills from La X'crnc to Cdeiidora and the .\zu--a ditch, and including a ;)uit of what 
is now Covina. being the whole of the San Jose Adilitiou and all of the Dalton 
section in the San Jose Rancho — nearly 8000 acres. 

The San Jose Ranch Company assumed for itself the name of the rancho, 
though oi)eraling on tlie Addition and edge of the rancho itself, as dicl also the 
water comi)any soon to be mentioned, but it gave to the town the name of the 
canyon, San Dimas. which has been explained. 



188 HISTORY AXl) UK )('.RAI'I I V 

In San Dinias, as elsewhere, the development of water has been a vital ])rob- 
lem. The purchase of the San Jose Addition and a part of the rancho itself by 
the San Jose Ranch Company carried with it the rights in all the water on the 
land (and under it) besides certain claims to water in the San Dimas and San 
Gabriel canyons. The supply from the "mud springs" was quite inadecjuate, as 
the Teagues had learned, so the company drilled wells around the cienega and 
secured a good flow at first. TUit in time this died down, and they tunneled imder- 
neath, so as to tap the wells some forty feet underground and thus obtained a 
permanent suppl\'. 

While the San Jose Ranch Company was developing water in the \'alley 
another company, called the San Jose Land and Water Company, was formed to 
handle the water at the mouth of the San Dimas Canyon. Securing a quantity of 
land they incor])orated in May, 1887, with Col. T. W. Brooks and M. G. Rogers 
of Pomona, and C. I\I. Wells of Los Angeles, as officers. The Colonel was an 
interesting character because of his rugged figure and ways and his varied career 
as miner and soldier, serving under General Crook in the war against the Sioux. 
The land purchased by this company included the 160 acres of L^ncle Billv -Martin, 
the 160 acres of J. B. Chappel to the west, and another 160 acres on the east. 
Some of this was good bottom land, some waste, and some mesa. Altogether it 
gave them command of a large supply of water, which they began to develop at 
once, running a tunnel and making some improvements. 

But the San Jose Land and ^^'ater Company immediately came into conflict 
with the San Jose Ranch Com|)any, which disputed their claims to the canyon 
water. Then began a series of lawsuits which stopped the work in the canyon, 
and which liecame one of the most complex and hotly disputed water contests 
in the historv of water development. The firm of \\'ells and Dunnigan led the 
battle for the Land and Water Company. C. jNI. Wells was a courteous little 
gentleman, who was for a time president of the Los .Angeles Chamber of Com- 
merce, but Dunnigan was a vigorous, combative attorney. Over a score of suits 
were fought over the water rights in San Dimas Canyon, and some of these were 
carried to the Supreme Court. During a large part of this time Dunnigan -.vas 
in actual possession of the canyon, but unable to do much work. Like tlie Kilkenny 
cats, tied together by their tails, they fought till only the tails remained. In the 
meantime ]\1. L. \\'icks, who was the capitalist of the Ranch Comjiany — a visionarv 
too, but not a "scrapper" — grew weary of the contest, and gave up his interest in 
the canyon to develop the water in the cienega. Thirty-three inches were secured 
here. But a number of the people who wanted more water and less litigation 
combined to employ E. J. Fleming as attorney, to look after their interests. 
Largely as a result of their pressure, the San Jose Ranch Compan_v offered them 
all their holdings — land, water rights and pipes, representing perhaps $?0.000 — but 
no deal was effected, and a group consisting of the Johnstones, C. B. Sumner and 
others. |)tn-chascd their water rights and pipe lines. Init not their land. This group 
organized the San f^imas Irrigation Company. Later there was a settlement of 
the various claims in a decision handed down by Judge Lucien Shaw. Those 
adiudicated to have prior rights in the cienega water formed the Cienega Water 
Company. There was also the .Artesian Belt ^^'atcr Company, formed by W. A. 
Johnstone. William P.owring and .A. B. Smith to take over and develop the water 
first struck in a well drilled by J. O. Enell on the edge of the San Dimas wash. 

Eventually these various companies have coml)ined to form the San Dimas 
\\'ater Company, which was organized in 1011. Bcjth William Bowritig and 



IllS'l't )\i\ AM) i;i()C.lv.\l'll\ 1X9 

W. A. Ji'luistoiic have l)ccn actively interesteil parlies in llie water (Jevelnpniems 
nf the San Dimas region, ami are recugnized by every one as aulliorilies in legard 
to water in this region, each liaving served in every capacity from zanjcro to 
president, and that over a period of years covering the whole history of tiie 
town. 

The first citrns orchard in San Dimas or I, a X'erne was the lif teen-acre i,'riive 
set ont by D. C. and C. V. Teague in 1SS6, who now began lo turn their attention 
from grain farming on a large scale lo fruit growing. The youngest son of the 
family, R. .M. Teague, in 188') bought 10.000 young trees and began his nursery 
business, which now reaches out all over the country, and even abroad. r>ut it 
has had its U])s and downs. Twice it lias been almost "down and out." In the 
early nineties the output had reached 250.000 trees, when overproduction and the 
panic caused a dro|) in the market and half the stock was sold out at tigures that 
left the ])roprielor $.^0.0(30 in debt. Then prices rose again to sevenly-tive cent> 
and one dollar a tree and remained for si.x years, when the .sale of trees reached 
350.000. in 1913, more than half of them going to the San Joariuin \alley. ( )thcr 
ventures have cost him clearly, but the Teagues were always indomitable, and 
"R. yi." has pluckily risen to the top again in a conservative nursery of large 
variety and pro])ortions. 

The citrus industry is almost the only one in San Dimas. \\ by should there 
be any other? It is in the very heart of the citrus belt. In fact it is doubtful 
if there is anywhere in the worl<l a sjmt more favored by nature for raising leiuons 
and oranges — so free from frost and other damaging conditions. .And so gener- 
ally has this become recognized that the available land has practically all been set 
out by growers; prices of bearing groves mount higher and higher: and the 
canyons and coigns of vantage in the foothills above are becoming more and 
more .seized by retired men of means for beautiful residence places. The great 
packing houses do an enormous business. In the San Dimas district are about 
2.500 acres of citrus fruits, nearly 1,500 being in lemons. The San Dimas I.eiuon 
.Association in one season ships 850 carloads of lemons, including its branch house 
at Glcndora. 450 carloads being from the San Dimas district alone ; and this c^ulput 
is steadily increasing, nearly a third having been added in five years. 

In the develo])ment of this industry, in its organization and in the marketing 
of the fruit, one of the most valuable men in the region has been Mr. Frank 
Marwxjod. for twenty years manager of the association ami then jire^ident from 
that time to the present. 

Upon this basic industry of citrus fruit growiiig there has grown uj) in San 
Dimas a small modern city of unusual attraction. 

For over seventeen years San Dimas has had its own local paper. The San 
Dimas Eacjlc was launched by II. II. Kinney, for a time the proprietor of the 
Poiiioiia 7"i;;/t's and now an attorney in Los .Angeles. When the paper was bought 
by Mr. C. L. Compton. the present proprietor, its name was changed to the San 
Dimas Press. 

San Dimas united with the I,a Wrne and I.ordsburg (now I,a N'erne Citv ) 
ilistricts in the building an<l maintenance of the Bonita I'nion High School. 
Organized in 1903. it has grown to a school of ten teachers and over a hundred 
Iiujjils. FVir a dozen years it has been under the able direction of Professor 
.Arthur Durward. 

Few towns in Southern California have made such rapid and substantial 
growth as San Dimas. In the period from 1894 to 1915 its assessment listing 



I'lO 1IIS'1'()R^■ .WD I'.K ICRAIMIV 

incruaseil fnun $l,i''.4.U tn $l.-l'i.i,2]<X — iiicire than tcnfuld. Xo (ine prchahly 
lias had a nmre vital part in this proj^ress than Hon. W. .\. Irilinstone. C'lming 
lure with his father's faniilx in the early days of the tnwn he has been iilentitied 
with nearh' all its more inijxirtant enteri^rises, especially in the water 'Icvelopment 
and in the hank, of which he has been president since its organization. Ilis 
election to the State Asseniblv was a just recognition of his worth not only to 
the cit\- nf San Dinias but to the district. 

CHARTER OAK 

.\t the ciirner of the three ranch')-, tlie Puente. the San Jose and the San 
lose .\dditiiui. is the village of Charter ( )ak-. The corner is that known as S. J. 
X<i. 10. and was formerly marked liy the Tinaja ( )ak. ( )nc would like tc find 
that this was the same as Charter Oak. but the fact is that the Tinaja Oak is 
gone lung since, and that the tree called Charter Oak is at some distance from 
this c(irner, thimgh buth were in the !'>. 1*'. .\llen fi)rty acres constituting the 
X.W . 'i nf the S.b". '4 of Sec. f^. T. 1 S., R. '' W . The origin of this name is 
happil\' described 1i\ \\ illiam ibiogendxk, a resident ol the pl.ict-. in the fi'Howing 
excerpt : 

"It was nut until after Afexico had declared independence frnni v'^jiaiii that 
the iJcaceful Mission, then grown to a large and prosperous communitv, began to 
lose its peace and happiness. \\'ith the first breaking out of hostilities between 
Calil'iirnia and the Cnited States, a pniminent Alexican official, San Antonio, took 
command nf the l.ns .\ngeles volunteers to give l)attle to the Americans. The 
liatlle nf the San Cabriel River was disastrous to the Americans. They fled from 
the battlefield, losing their flag and some valualjle papers. In the fall of the year 
San .\ntonio, wishing to return to his home in Afexicc^, left I^os .\ngeles in great 
splendnr, accnmpanied by a few snldiers. The ca])tured flag and the jiapers were 
entrusted to him to deliver safely tn the .Mexican gnvernme'n. ll was a rain\' 
day when he left I^os Angeles. They stn|)ped at the San Gabriel Mission for 
refreshments, and were here joined liy two traders, and on the saddles of these 
men were b.ags of gnl<l receive 1 in exidiange fnr various trinkets at the variinis 
Missions. Tlie rain increased, .and the party which had intended tn slop at 
Cienega, which was only a watering place between Pos Angeles and San Bernar- 
dino, camjied instead near some friendly Indians, under some oak trees about 
tweiitv nnles from Los Angeles. .\l the Missic]n a Spaniard who had been 
unmercifully treated b\' the Mexicans, seeing the cavalcade start, with revenge 
in his heart carried the news to the Americans, who were camped a few miles 
a\\a\-. Eager to recapture the flag and the papers, the Americans started in jnirsuit. 
and came upon San .Antonio's party among the live oaks of the upper San C.abriel 
\ .allev. b'e.iring ;m attack from unfriendly Indians, San .\ntonio and his p.artv 
]iitcheil their camj) some distance from the main traveled road. Thev buried 
their gold, with the flag and the iiajiers, near a large oak tree, for, should thev 
be surprised, tlu' tree, by reason of its size, would serve as a mark tc^ enable 
any smwivor to recover the treasure. Fires were built, and the clothing dried. 
The evening meal was taken. \\ ilh the coming of twilight w as heard the clatter 
of hoofs, .'\mericans in pursuit. San Antonio climbed the big oak, while the 
soldiers made ready for flight. \ nlley after volley was fired at the small i)art_\' 
of Americans. History has never told the story of the slaughter of the battle. 
San .\ntonio remaineil in the tree all night, and two days after his deiiartnre he 



II1ST( )RV AND IU( )C.R \I'II^• 1 M 

rcturiK-il to Los An^'cles. al<>in- .■iiul in raj^s. with his led l)lccilinR, and almost 
cxhntisli-tl. Xo one has ever found tlie llaj;, tlie vakiahle jiapers, or llie !,'<i!il that 
was cached hy this great tree. An American otVicer and a troop of suldier^ 
returned to the sjiot several days later, still in pursuit of their llag and papers, 
hut the rain hail made it impossible to tind the cache. 1 loles were du;,' all around 
the larfjc tree without success. When the search was given iiii and thcv were 
ahont to dei)art. the officer, giving a last look at the jilacc. said: 'This indeed is 
a re])lica of the old Charter Oak.' Many years have gone by since ihe hi-toric 
oak which held the beneficial charter has been blown down on the shores of 
Connecticut. ISut the historic tree of the upjier San Gabriel \'alley still stands. 
In its bark is cut the Sign of the Cross to comnieniorale the deed. In ISSo 
settlers bought the land in the vicinity and j)lanted it to or;nige trees. The place 
of this historic tree first belonged to Walter .Mien, brother-in-law of \\'illiam 
riowring. and neighbur of II. C. Mace, the only two remaining pioneers of this 
section. It was the task of W. II. Ci>llins. a later |)urchaser of the land, to level 
the land of the many holes dug by the treasure-hunters around the tree. 

"'i'he Charter ( )ak of the Pacific Coast stands in the orange grove now owned 
by R. II. Rowland, in a beautiful, prosperous community nametl Charter Oak. 
This historic spot is midway between three prominent cities of the upper San 
Gabriel X'alley. Three miles to the east we find the j)rosperous city of San 
Dimas ; three miles to the north the beautiful city of Glendora. while three miles 
to the west the ever growing city of Covina. Thousands of acres around this 
tree have been planted to trees licaring the golden fruit, and manv who have 
visited the upper San Gabriel \'allcy cati truthfully say that the golden orange 
gardens of Ilesperides are reproduced on the shores of the Pacific." 

CLAREMO.N I AM) POMO.NA COLLIX^iE 

Claremont was placed on the ma|) by the Pacific Land Imi>rovement Com- 
pany, as already noted. The land which this company secured was chietly a 
part of the eighty acres of .\ndres Dnartc. purchased of II. .\. Palmer. 160 acres 
in the west half of Section 10 owned by Charles French, and the land owned Ijy 
the Pomona Land and Water Company south of the upper line of the rancho 
'which crosses the town as explained I)efore> as far as Cucamonga .\venue. 
The plot of the town was recfirded in .April, 1887, and included only that portion 
which lay, north and south, between Tenth Street and Cucamonga .\venue ami 
between .Alexander and Forest avenues, west and east, the last designation 
being one of the original names, when Vale. Harvard, College. Dartmouth and 
Princeton avenues were known by the more ]irosaic names of Tremont. Palmer. 
Pearl, Warren, (joddard and Forest. Most of these were for I-'astern stock- 
holders. Palmer .\venue was named for H. .\. Palmer, who bought the Duarte 
place, then held by Toots .Martin, in 188,3, and later moved his house from Ponion.i 
to Claremont. 

One of the compaiiy's advertising circulars says: "The name Claremont is 
indicative of clear mountain air; clear moimtain water; clear from malaria. fro>-t, 
fogs and most of 'the ills that flesh is heir to." The site was chosen before anv of 
the adjoining places were dreamed of. We hail the entire line to select from, for 
the building of the railroad was then a secret known only to a few. This exouisite 
place was chosen; first, because of the perfect altitude ; .second, because of the 
unlimited supply of artesian water; third, because of the unsurpassed scenerv 



\<i2 iiisT( n<\ .WD r.K !C,R \rii\' 

of niiinnlain and \allcy : fmirlli, because of the giant live oaks and sycamores 
tliat adorn its grounds, oaks tliat an Knglish lord would give $10,000 an acre to 
possess." Except for slight frost and fog, all this is true indeed, but the explana- 
tion of the name Claremont may be enlarged. A number of Spanish names were 
.suggested by Mr. Palmer at the company's request and the one English name, 
the latter being chosen because also one of the company had lived at Claremont, 
New Ilampshire. 

Thus again the derivation of a town name is quite at variance with what is 
geiieralh- supposed to have been, or what might have been expected. Claremont 
was not named simjily for its clearness or altitude, nor as it might properly have 
been for some Spanish name suggestive of its origin ; Pomona College is not an 
agricultural school, though the name of the town Pomona was suggested by the 
grangers. North Pomona or Pomona should have l)een Palomares ; El Monte 
does not mean mountain, but thicket : nor is there any considerable bridge at 
Puente as there is at El Monte : Spadra was not named for a spade, but for a 
Spadra P.lufTs in Arkansas; Chino has nothing to do with Chinamen, but with 
curlv leafed willows, chino meaning curly: San Dimas was a name given in the 
strange fashion recounted, not to the town first but to the canyon, its first designa- 
tion being ]\Iud Springs, and then INfonnd City, there being doubtless no true 
mound citv anvwhere about : ami finally the most appropriate names of all are 
nrit in use save as San Antonio is given to the little hamlet at the canyon mouth, 
and San Jose, the original name of the rancho, is retained simi)]y for the "tnwn- 
-hi])." because another city in the State was alread)^ known as San Jose. 

The town of Claremont was launched with a boom. On the day of the 
auction hundreds of people drove up from Pomona and surrounding regions, and 
excursionists from Riverside and Los Angeles. The band played and the com- 
pany's agents pointed out the choice corners and the mountain view. Carpenters 
Avere at work on the new railway station and a gang of men were laying track. 
The crowd gathered about the front of the new store buildings across the park 
from the station, and teams of all sorts were massed around, wdiile Colonel Hola- 
liird sold the lots, checking them off on the large map of "Claremont the Beauti- 
ful." conspicuously posted in full view. Alore than 300 lots were bought, the 
sales amounting to $85,000, and some lots were sold and resold the same dav. 
Choice corners went as high as $^00 and $700. Many of the spectators came 
from curiosity. One of these, a jiioneer's daughter, sitting upon her horse as 
the auction proceeded, wondered what madness could induce people to pay such 
prices for lots in the desert. l^>ut later it was to be her home for a long term of 
}-ears! Others went away disappointed because the jirices were so high they 
could not buy. 

On high ground in the center of the townsite "Flotel Claremont" was hur- 
ried to comiiletion. Four or five .small houses were built by the company, and 
two or three better residences by Colonel Holabird and others. The schoolhouse 
also was built about this time, located here by the earnest efforts of Colonel Hola- 
bird and Mr. Palmer, though serving for all the Ea A'erne-Claremotit district. 

Then came the collapse of the boom and the town died. With one or two 
exceptions the houses were all empty; the big new hotel was tenanted only by 
.scfuirrels and bats. The graded streets w^re recarpeted w-ith wild ffovi-ers. and sage 
brush and yerba santa reclothed the face of the earth, hiding the unseemly erup- 
tion of white corner stakes, and jirotecting with their green dress the naked isola- 



IIISTOKV AM) i;i< M'.RAl'll^' I'M 

tioii of (liose live oaks wliich liad been selected as sentinels to stand in llic center 
of certain streets. 

The town had reverted to its ancient estate, when rattlesnakes and coyotes 
were its chief inhabitants. .Xnd this "prehistoric" age has still more of interest 
to many than the later times. l'"or it was then a wil<l country in more senses than 
one. X'cgetablc and animal life were wild indeed, and so was human life. Not 
until 1880 or 1881 did the Indians leave their rancheria on the eastern edge of 
Indian Hill, moving to San Diego and the mountains, at least a remnant of them, 
after the majority had died of smallpox and had been buried there on the hillside. 
Three times in a score of years this disease had decimated the camp as it hail 
other Indian settlements in the X'alley. .Mong the San Gabriel River, hundreds 
of the poor victims, suffering with the irritation and fever, would rush into the 
stream and quickly die. In the seventies there were over two lumdreil Indians at 
the rancheria on the east of Indian Hill. 

Before their dispersion the Indians were a convenient source of labor for 
settlers who used to drive up to the rancheria for them, as Kewen Dorsey says. 
In those days he was living first with his grandfather, I'ncle I'.illy Rubnttom, at 
the Rubottom Hotel in Spadra, and then at Mud Springs, where he was farming. 
A half-brother of Kewen Dorsey by the name of Jeff was living in 1880 in a little 
house between Claremont and Cucamonga, where a curious incident occurred. 
Two men came one day to the Rubottom house in Spadra to spend the night. 
Before morning they got up and stole away, leaving a valise with some brick in 
it, but stealing Jeff's overcoat and some blankets. In spite of the valise I'ncle 
Billy suspected trouble when he discovered that the men had gone. So he ojiened 
the valise and foimd the bricks and soon missed the overcoat and blankets. 
.\ngered more by the deception of the valise and its bricks than by the loss of 
the clothing, he made up a little party who set out to chase the robbers. Following 
them over the old San Bernardino Road, which ran by the south of Claremont 
not far from Cucamonga .\venue, they finally caught the thieves on the Rains' 
place at Cucamonga. .\nd the plunder, including Jeff's overcoat, was found, bv a 
strange coincidence, hidden under Jeff's own house. 

The "desert." between Mud Springs and Cucamonga, was the scene of nianv 
a savage chase and tragic finish in earlier days. Here John Rains, pro])rietor of 
the Cucamonga Ranch, was murdered. The story of how he failed to return 
from town one day. and his team was found tied by the Charter Oak, how the 
\'igilantcs hunted for days for the body and then found it by the buzzards circling 
overhead, in a cactus patch where he had been dragged by a rope and horribly 
mutilatefl — this story belongs perhaps more properly to Cucamonga. But this 
purple <lesert was the stage, and the whole countryside was stirred by the tragedv, 
so that a reward of $1,000 was put on the head of Juan Carillo, who was foiuid 
unfler incriminating circumstances at the rancho, and a few days later he was 
shot as he was driving along the road in the wash east of Claremont. Then began, 
so it is said, the reign of terror created by \'as(|ucz and his band, after \'as(|uez 
had seen Carillo on his death bed and vowed vengeance on the \ igilantes an<l all 
their sui)porters. 

I'.ut the Claremont region was not entirely without human inhabitants, other 
than bandits and Indians before the boom, even as far back as the seventies. 
Here and there was the shack of a homesteader squatting on his (juarter section 
of wash. .\ half dozen nearly dead peach trees across from the eucalvptu« grove 
at the mouth of the San Antonio Canyon mark the spot wdierc the Kincaids live<l 



154 HISTORY AXO lilOGRAPIIY 

in 1870 and raised choice frnit. Within the decade foUowing; Dr. Fairchild 
started his honse and walled garden hetween the canyon and Indian Hill. .\nd 
there were the hee men. especially Toots Martin and Peter Fleming. For Toots 
Martin, wiio was among the first settlers in El Monte, in Spadra. in Pomona, and 
in San IJimas. was also a pioneer, in fact the first to reside, in the region of 
Claremont. after the early ^Mexican days. Coming to El Monte as a boy with 
his father, in 18.^3. he had gone to school in Lexington, where his father. L'nele 
I'liliy. was so prominent as a hotel man, school snperintendent and supervisor, had 
taught school in the old Mission district, and in l8Ci5 had married Nancy M. 
']'hom])son. daughter of C. C. Thompson, wdio had come to El ^lonte in 18.^2. 
From ISfiO to 1872 they had a hee ranch in San Dimas Canyon, north of Charles 
Cunningham. And then father and son each filed on a quarter section of land. 
The father, l'nele P)illy Alarlin. had been getting out shakes with one McCarthy 
in the Dalton can}-ons. and now took up the \C)0 acres, which he sold in 1887 to 
the San lose Land and Water Company. The son. Toots Martin, filed on 156 
acres in section nine, which is west of Indian Hill Loulevard, and which lay just 
north of the ui)per line of the San Jose Rancho. Here, on what was later known 
as the Charlton place, he built liis house about twenty-five yards west of the great 
oak. which was a big tree then. Good water w^as found here at a depth of only 
twent\ -nine feet. There was then only one other building an\\vhere about, an old 
adoljc on what was later the H. A. Palmer place. El Alisal, now owtied liy Rev. 
]\. S. Young. Here .Andres Duarte had lived on eighty acres adjoining Martin's 
place on the east, and had sold it to l',l;ick Wyatt. Ijut W'yatt had found it too 
lonesome with so man^' Indians an<l so much hunting about, and turned it over 
to Toots ]\lartin. going to Los Nietos to live. "El Alisal" w^as iiame(l for the 
willows w liich once grew abundantly in the ravine which crosses the place, although 
tile word iilisii strictK' means alder and not willow. A spring in the ravine was 
noted as one of the best in the \'alley. There was a legend of .\ndres Duarte 
which Mr. Palmer told as follows: "There is a tradition that he was possessed 
of consideralile wealth, and that immediately upon the transfer of California to 
tlie United States he c inverted all his projierty into Spanish and Mexican coin 
and ingots of gold and silver. This jjile 1 have heard variously estimated at from 
$f0.000 to $80,000 Mexican of that date. .Kfter his death and many times sub- 
se(|uentlv, efforts to uncover this buried treasure were made. As late as 1902-3 
1 was importuned by a ^lexican claiming to belong to the .Alvarados to permit 
him to ])rospect for this cache, he claiming that a key or chart had recently come 
into his possession, bv which he could locate it. My recollection is tiiat Martin 
thought verv lightly of the tlieory and. in my conversation with him regarding it. 
lauglied heartily. Nevertheless at least half a dozen Mexicans have applied tn 
me for permission to prospect the ground, and when I came to clearing up the 
ground 1 found UKun- holes and evidences of prospecting around almost every 
old large tree on the place. So far as I know nothing was ever found." The 
story is very likely a variant of the story of buried treasure related in the first 
chapter. 

Martin's (|uarter section was a valuable piece of property, containing a 
variety of soil, some good fruit land, some black land long used as a Chinese 
garden, and also containing an abundance of water in the Martin cienegas. But 
liis chief oceujiation was that of raising bees, of which he had hundreds of hives. 
Yet though he lived here for a dozen years or more, it had been in the allotment 
of railroad land ami lie was most of the time in litigation over the title. Eventu- 



IIISTORV AM) I'.loC.KAI'IIN' 1"5 

ally Carlton Scaver and Cicorge McClary were able to secure a j^ood title and 
came into possession of the land. Tiiat to the cast was secured by Charles I'Vench. 
also a prominent business man in I'omona. It was during liis residence in what 
is nnw Claremont that Toots Martin was justice of the peace for the luwnshi]), 
and after his removal to I'omnna, in 1SS4. that he served on the school board and 
later as county supervisor. 

At first Seaver and McClary bought the Martiik tract tugether, but later thev 
divided the place, McClary taking the U])per eighty and Seaver the l<iwer. Mr. 
McClary used to say. "Seaver was always a lucky dog. 1 saiil. 'Which half do 
you want?" and he replied, "I don't care," so I took the north half. I'.ut it was tlie 
south half which |)roved more valuable because of its water, .\ftcr we had been 
associatetl in Ijanking for some time we drew lots in dividing up the stock, but 
my stock was in concerns that failed. If Mr. Seaver were cast adrift in an 
open boat on the .\tlantic with no oars, he would land at Liver|)ool all right." 
^'ct everyone knows. McClary as well as others, that Mr. Seaver's success was 
not due to his good luck. 

Peter Fleming was another man who was engaged for a time in the pro- 
duction of honey in the fields near Indian Hill. Mr. F'leming had come to Cali- 
fornia from I'.oston by the way of Panama in 1874, and had brought with him 
good letters of introduction (among them one from Emlicott, then secretarv of 
war) to I'hineas I'anning, the transi)ortati<in king. Peter Fleming hatl been the 
private .secretary of Ethan .Mien, grandson of the Ethan .Alien of Revolutionarv 
fame. He was dressed in the usual mode of Boston gentlemen when he met 
I'hineas Banning at the wharf on arriving, the latter in blue flannel with j)ant legs 
lucked in his boots. I'.anning met him with the greeting, "\'oung man. the first 
thing you do, take off that biled shirt and store clothes anfl get into blue jeans 
and l)oots: then you can l)c a man among men." And a man he proved to be in 
full measure, .\fter a year in Spadra, his partner absconded with all their 
proceeds, and he moved to this jjlacc, which they called S\camore Ranch, north- 
east of Claremont and east of the Kessler place, which he afterward bought. 
Leasing the land at first from Pancho Palomares. he started a bee ranch, beginning 
with thirty stands. From this the business grew to a thousand stands, vielding an 
income of $3,(X)0 or $6,000 a year, with honey at only five cents a pnund. Xine 
carloads of honey were shipped one season to Liverpool. In this iHisiness Mr. 
Fleming was assisted by his son, E<lward I. Fleming, who was later citv aitornev 
of Pomona, an<l is now a prominent lawyer in Los .\ngelcs. Soon, however, 
Mr. I-'leming turned his attention to orange growing and especially to developing 
water; but the acc«junt of his im|)ortant operations in tumieling for water and 
in cfinnecfion with the Sycamore Water Development Company, to whom his 
Claremont pro|)erty was sold, and with the Consolidated Water Companv of 
which he was superintendent, has already been told. Mr. I'leming was long and 
well known as a thoroughly reliable and successfid business man, but his kiinlness 
and hel|)fulness to those who were in trouble and his generf)sity to such worthv 
cause> as that of the I'ruit and F'lower Mission were not so generally known, 
especially as he disliked any ])ublicity in such matters. 

.\orthwest of the present town, and looking down over the Scanlon Mesa. 
Frank Evans, in 1873, s(inatted on hi-; homestead where is now the Claremont 
School for lioys. 

Claremont has been referred to again and again as the desert, but few now 
realize that for years the lower part of the town was wet and swampy. One 



106 HISTORY AXl) lUOC.U Al'in' 

could not go tlircctl}- from the college to the station, but must make a wide detour 
because of tlie marsh south of Third Street and west of College Avenue. Mr. 
Biele's block between First and Second liad to be drained with much underground 
tile pipe. The Pomona Land and Water Company had already begun to develop 
water below the railway line. 

PoMON.A College 
To return now to the Claremont of 1887 and 1888, the Pacific Land Improve- 
ment Comjianv found itself, not long after the sale, with a dead town on its 
hands, a big hotel as em])ty as a bubble, and with a nuiltitude of disajipointed 
customers, many of whom had still other payments to make on their unfortunate 
purchases. Overwhelmed with obligations and fearful for the town as to which 
they had hoped and promised so much, they searched earnestly for some way out 
of tlieir distress. A second auction sale in January, 1888, was much less successful 
than the first. In this predicament their attention was turned to Pomona College 
which, in the fall of 1888, was trying to raise money for its first building on 
vScanlon 2^1 esa at the mouth of Live Oak Canyon. The company offered the 
college the hotel building and tw^o or three hundred lots in the townsite, if the 
college would move to Claremont permanently and at once with even one depart- ■ 
ment of its work. From this time on the fortunes and life of the town were so 
inextricably interwoven with those of the college and the importance of the 
college to the town has been such that the history of the town is largely the story 
of the college. This is not the time nor the ]ilace in which to develop this history. 
It has been written already by Dr. C. r>. Sumner in his charming and faithful 
stcrv of tlie college.* Onlv the outlines of its earlier history can here be sketched. 
For this purpose it is necessary to go back to the beginnings of the Pilgrim Con- 
gregational Church in Pomona. Rev. C. P>. Sunmer, a home missionary of the 
denomination for .Arizona and New Mexico, who had come to .\rizona and Cali- 
fornia after successful school and church work in Massachusetts, on accoimt of 
hi>^ wife's health, had been persuaded to organize this church in Pomona. In the 
midst of these I>eginnings, both pastor and church were ])eculiarly interested in the 
movement of thoughtful ])eople in this section, especially among the Congrega- 
tional churches, to estaljlish a college of high academic and Christian standards 
in Southern California, .\fter various conferences the General .Association of 
CcMigregational Churches of Southern California appointed an education com- 
mittee with full ]>owers and instructions to organize the college and to select 
a location at once. Several generous oiTers of land and money were considered 
by the committee — two propositions especially, one from lieaumont and one 
from Lugonia ; but a more central spot was desired and the committee finally 
accepted the oiler made Ijy Air. H. A. Palmer, of eighty acres on Scanlon 
Alc-a, su]:>ijlementeil b)- forty acres adjoining, ofl'ered li\ two P.oston ladies, 
the Alisses Wheeler, a wonderfully attractive site. A board of trustees was 
appointed and .Mr. Stunner was selected to take charge of the organization 
and the raising of money. For this he gave up the attractive new jiastorate and 
threw himself wilh characteristic energy into the stupendous task. The canvass 
for funds began, and met with good response, considering the times, not only in 
Congregational circles but also from others in Pomona who were interested in 
higher education. 

So far the movement had advanced, when in December, 1887, it was felt to 
be important that academic work should lie commenced at once, instead of waiting 



" "The Story of Pomiina College" — C. II. Sumner; ]mblislie<I by tlie Pil^^riin Press. 




y. 

o 

< 

-J 



IIIS'I'< )]i\ AND l'.l( )C,kAl'in' vt- 

till the beginning of tlic school year in the following September. Acconlingly Mr. 
Sumner visited the Mcl'herron Academy in Los Angeles and invited I'njl. I'. I'. 
Brackett, a recent graduate of Dartmouth, who was teaching there, In come to 
Pomona and begin the work. With rare faith and prophetic vision, .Mr. Sunmer 
told of the plans for the college and its luissible future. The first of januarv, 
1888, found a dozen pupils gathered with Professor Brackett in the chapel of 
Pilgrim Church, which ha<l been otTered as a sclmolriMDu. During the six 
months following, this group of students, with a few additions, was prejjared for 
the formal opening of the college in the fall. 

The formal opening occurred September 12, 1888, in a rented house, called 
the Ayer. cottage, at the corner of White Avenue and iMfth Street in Pomona. 
The faculty consisted of Rev. E. C. Norton, a graduate of Amherst, who had been 
for four years professor at Yankton College, and who was chosen as principal of 
the preparatory department: Mrs. H. A. Storrs, wife of Engineer Storrs of 
Pomona; Miss Etlith Blades, daughter of Judge Eranklin Blades, and later wife 
of Mr. W. A. Lewis of Pomona: and F. P. Brackett, whose students in Pilgrim 
Chapel formed the nucleus of the first graduating class, and who had also had 
two years' experience as principal of academies in Xew England. There were 
also teachers of art and of music. Xo president was elected at first, but Professor 
Norton presided over the internal affairs of the college and Mr. C. B. Sumner, as 
secretary and financial agent for the board of trustees, was in charge of all 
outside matters. 

The first board of trustees consisted of James T. Ford of San P.ernardino, 
H. K. W. Bent and D. D. Hill of Pasadena,' A. J. Wells of Long Beach. J. K. 
McLean and II. A. Palmer of Oakland, C. B. Sumner and C. B. Sheldon of 
Pomona, Seth Richards of Boston, George W. Marston and James II. ll?,rwood 
of San Diego. Nathan W. Blanchard of Santa Paula. Judge .\nson I'.runson of 
Los .\ngeles, T. C. Hunt of Riverside, and Elwood Cooper of Santa I'.arbara. 

Just two weeks after the opening day, the corner stone of a new building upon 
the foothill site was laid, with impressive ceremony. It was to be made of brown 
stone from Martin's quarry near by, but the building was never comjileted. It 
was impossible to collect subscriptions or to raise additional fun Is in 1888. and 
the offer of members of the Pacific Land Improvement Company, referred to 
above, looked like a Godsend. In accepting the offer there was no thought at 
the time of giving up permanently the plans for the college on Scaiilon Mesa. 
Only the Preparatory School was to be located at Claremont. I'.ut after the work 
had been established here at Claremont. it became more ami more evident that 
any separation was impracticable, and the Mesa project, with its new town of 
Piedmont, its foundations for a building, and all its expectations, was abandoned. 
And eventually the preparatory work also was discontinued after the local high 
school had become established. But all this occurred long after the removal to 
Claremont. .Vt that time the boom hotel, called Claremont Hall, was remarkably 
well atlapted to school use. The large halls on the lower floor were useil as reci- 
tation rooms, the dining hall and kitchens by the boarding department, two or 
three members of the faculty and their families occupied suites of rooms, and 
there were plenty left for the students, one section assigned to men and another 
to women. And still there was room to spare! The name of Claremont Hall was 
later changed to Sunmer Hall in memory of Mrs. Mary Sumner, the devoted 



198 IIIS'IXJRV AXl) LlluC.RArilV 

wife of Doctnr Sumner. wIki sJiarcd so largely in liis labor and sacrifice for the 
college, 

A lower of strength to the college in the early days was Air. Thomas Barrows. 
who moved to Claremont with his family from his ranch in the Ojai \'alley. Two 
rd' his children, l)avi<l and Charlotte, were in the lirst graduating class; his large 
house was one of the first to he built in the town, and his time and strength and 
counsel, as well as his property, were always at the service of the college. 

Four teachers came to join the leaching force in the early )-ears. wdio were 
to remain on the faculty to the present lime. The first of these was Miss Phebe 
Estclle Spab'ing. later Professor of English Iviterature, who came to Pomona 
from C.-irleton College in the summer of 18S"i. .\ rear later came Rev. D. H. 
Colcord. a graduate of .\mherst and of Andover Theological Seminary.' who was 
finally persuaded to smrendcr his pastorale at Monrovia for the teacher's toga, at 
the hea 1 of the Latin Department. In 189? Rev. .\. D. I'.is-ell and Professor 
0. G. Hitchcock were added to the staff. The former, a graduate of .\mherst and 
of Vale Theological Seminary, came as Professor of German : the latter, a gradu- 
ate of the I'niversity of \el)raska. came as Professor of Chemistry and Physics, 
and later c>{ Pliysics alone. 

Two others should be named .among those who helped to shape the early 
course of the college as well as its later life. Professor Albert John Cook, who had 
already gained an enviable reputation and many friends at Michigan .Agricultural 
College. Ills Alma Mater, brought to Pomona a national prestige, and his helpful 
influence was felt far bevond the college, especiallv among the farmer': and horti- 
cidturists of the state, initil, at the age of seventv. he accepted the post of Stale 
Horticulturist. Professor George S. Sumner, son of Dr. C. P>. Sumner, and a 
niemlier of the first graduating class in the college, returned after winning his 
doctor;ite at Vale to teach in his .\lma Alater, and s<ion to establish himself not 
only in his department of Economics, but as a strong leader in all the affairs of 
the college. 

\\"hile this force of teachers, with others who did not remain so long, were 
moulding largely the internal life of the college, for it has always been peculiarly 
democratic in its policy, the general administration of affairs was taken over, in 
1890. by its first president. Dr. Cyrus G. Pialdwin, a graduate of ( )berlin and. then 
Professor of T^atin in Ripon College. His coming marked a real advance in the 
life of the institution, and indeed of the town, lie was primarily a sceke'^ after 
men. First he sought the best men he could find for tin- faculty. Professors 
Piissell, Hitchock and Cook, already mentioned, as well as Professor Frederick 
vStarr. later the noted anthropologist of Chicago. Professor .Albert Shaw. Miss .AT. 
E. Harris and Miss Mary M. McLean ("now Mrs. Richard Ohiey). lady princi- 
l^als, Aliss Mary E. Allen, Professor and Mrs. Praiuian and John Comfort b'ill- 
more. head of the School of Music and an author of note in the musical world. 
Mrs. Evangeline While Hardon, his niece, and also an instructor in voice here, 
rare teachers all. and of the finest spirit, were selected by him. And he was a 
seeker of men, too, in his relations with students, always striving to draw out the 
best talent in each and develop that most effectively. Through his efforts some 
increase was made in salaries. .As the college entered technically upon its col- 
legiate work, as distinct from academic or secondary, at a meeting of the trustees 
held in the summer of 18')0, Professor Norton and Professor P)rackett were 
officially elected to ])rofessorships, the former in Greek and the latter in Malhe- 
matics. Other professorships followed. Through President Baldwin's inflnence 



other families came to town. To tlic lionsc.-> wliiili .Mr. Harrows ani! I'rofcssor 
IJrackctt hail Imilt were now aildcti those of I'rcsident Ualdwin (now I fad. Ion 
Hall), of Mr.s. Jencks and Mrs. Tolman (north of Si.xth on College), of .Mrs. 
Searle (only recently removed from east of I'.ridfjes Ilall) ; and others still were 
added because of the growth of the college. It was often said that IVesiilent 
Baldwin was a man of vision. This was true in a notable way in his espousal of 
large material projects, sometimes too far ahead of the tiines. His i)roi)ose(l 
electric road between i'omona and Claremont, which failed tlien of construction, 
has since been realized. His transformation of water power in San .\ntonio 
Canyon into electricity and its transmission to the \'alley, while im fortunate in 
its financial issue, was a hold conception actually carried out. and is recognized in 
the electrical world as the first long-distance transmission of electric power in this 
country and one of the first three in the world. He was also a man of vision and 
faith in the highest ideals in education, many of which have since been realized, 
although he himself was unable to share in this issue because of financial distress 
and. later, of physical disability. 

It was during President lialdwin's administration that Holmes Ha" was 
built, as a memorial to Cyrus W. Holmes. Jr.. by the gift of his wife and flaughter. 
parishioners and friends of Mr. Sumner in Monson. Mass. It was honed that this 
building, which was oi)encd January 1, 1S'*3, might accommodate the needs of the 
college for chapel and recitation munis fur a Img time, but it soon |)roved in- 
adequate. 

Pearsons Hall of Science, the gift of Dr. D. K. Pearsons, was erected dur- 
ing the presidency of President Ferguson, who followed President Baldwin. .\t 
the same time the president's residence was built at College .\venne and Fourth 
Street. 

.\fter a period of unrest and dissatisfaction on the part of faculty, students 
and constituency, another change in administration brought to the college President 
George A. Gates. After a most successful administration of Iowa College, at 
Grinnell, for thirteen years, he had been obliged to change his residence, to relieve 
Mrs. Gates from the suffering of asthma, and had moved to Cheyenne. W'yo.. 
where he accomplished a notable constructive work, in church and town. Presi- 
dent Gates came in 1002, in the prime of life, at the age of fifty-one. with, ripe 
experience and a circle of friends which was more than nation-wide. Seven years 
later he was obliged to lay down his work, broken in health and <lisappointed in 
his great ambitions, and. though still called to a last rare service at Fisk University, 
yet with the final sentence of death upon him. FVir he was peculiarly an erlucator 
and not a financier, and was crushed by the heavy burden of college finances. 
F.ducated at Dartmouth, at .\ndover Seminary and at a number of German univer- 
sities, he brought not only the learning of the schools and a technical knowletlge of 
their conduct, but aUo a tremendous zeal in the education of young |)eo|)le, a deep 
confidence in his students and his colleagues, and above all an absolute sincerity 
and candor in all his relations with others. With such leadership the college 
lea|)efl forward. Both inside and outside of the college confiilence was restored 
so that, in his seven years of direction, the number of college students increased 
from 100 to over 300. the numlKT <jf teachers was nearly doubled, and the gradu- 
ating class increased from eleven to forty-eight. Xew buildings arose on the 
cam()us — Smiley Hall, the Carnegie Library and the ( )liservatory. lint more 
valuable than buildings was the s])iritual impress of his character u])on the life of 



200 IIISTOKV AXl) I'.loC.UArilV 

the institution. This was well expressed in the resolutions ado]3ted by the board 
of trustees at the time of his retirement, which includes these words: "We recog- 
nize, also, that under his leadership the college lias made remarkable growth, 
* * * but more than all we would give grateful expression to our sense of the 
service that he has rendered to the college and to the broader interests of Christian 
education, in his personal influence upon the young men and young women of the 
institution. The moral earnestness and high idealism of the student bcpdy at 
Pomona is so marked as to impress the most casual observer. * * * This 
inspiration of many student lives, even more than added buildings and camjius, 
will remain as his enduring contribution to the life of Pomona College." 

A large measure of the success of the college has been due to the high pur- 
pose, the constant interest and the large and real sacrifices of its board of trustees. 
Among these have been a number of its ow'n alumni. As has been truly said, 
"They have been men of vision, men of faith, men of action." This has been 
especially true of three who were members from the first, and whose service can 
fairly be said to exceed that of any others. Of these three, ]\Ir. Nathan W. 
ISlanchard and Mr. George W. ]\larston made some of the largest financial gifts 
and l)ore some of the heaviest burdens, the former always being deeply con- 
cerned in the welfare of the teaching staff. ATr. Marston, now for years president 
of the Ijoard, and Dr. C. B. Sumner, its secretary from the first (and almost con- 
tinuousl)' ), are the only members of the first board now living. For his leadership 
in the beginnings of the college, in the first financial campaign, in the choice of 
teachers and in the shaping of the purpose and policy of the institution. Doctor 
Sumner ma)- well l)c called the "Father of the College." .\nd that title of respect 
and aft'ection has been deserved ever since in continuous service and sacrifice, in 
supreme endeavor in many a time of crisis, and in loving interest and solicitude 
to the present day. 

While the function of the college is jirimarily the training of men and women 
for high citizenship, yet it has also an immediate value to the town of its habita- 
tion, and to a larger region as well, in such centers of influence as its Alusic Ilall, 
its library, its chapel and lecture rooms, its observatory, its experts in chemistry 
and economics and other dei)artmenls, and even in its Inn and Athletic ImcUI. .A 
number of societies, organized at first within the college, are shared equally by 
]ieo]de of the town, such as the Rembrandt Club, the .Astronomical Society, and 
the "Cactus Club." 

At this point we must leave this meager outline of the C(jllege stor\'. alreadv 
lirought much nearer to our own time than this history is supposed to run. The 
(Greater I'omona, greater in material equipment and resources, greater also in 
numbers and in power, the new administration and new workers, all belong to a 
later ])eriod and history. 

Ci.Ai'tKMo.vT 1 xiirs'iKii:s, School .\xi) Ciu'kcii 

The town (d Claremont has kept ])ace with the college in its growth, and 
both have grown apace. This progress may well be symbolized by the eucalvptus 
trees on College Avenue, planted by H, A. I'almer and the writer in 1880 — native 
of other soil but transplanted to a Nature-favored spot, growing rapidly and 
vigorously after the first period of handicap and nursing, young indeed as com- 
pared with others that count their age by centuries, yet large and strong as they 
are, and withal rugged and unsymmetrical, though not unbeautiful, and of marked 



lllSToKV AM) lUtniRAI'll'i 201 

individuality, each unlike hi? fellows in appearance and character. Families with 
children to educate have come to make themselves homes here, a score nr nmre of 
the faculty have huilt or ac(|uired their own residences, others have been <lrawn 
by the advanta,<;es nf a collefje town, added to the rare natural attraclions f>f 
climate and localiun. Tlie business has f;rown from the country store and post 
office of John Urbanus. which stood on ^'ale near the curner where the St. Claire 
I'lock is now, to forty or fifty places of business and offices. In business and 
church matters Clarcmont long continued to retain close relations with I'omona. 
F.ven now Claremonters go to Pomona for many things which the town dues not 
provide. In March. l'>0'). the Citizens .State Ttank of Claremont was organized, 
witli C. M. Parsons. L. X. Smith, George Jencks and K. E. Ciraham as directors. 
and W. X. I'each cashier. In V>Cf> it was converted into the I'irst Xational liank 
of Claremont; and on June 30. l')18, it was combined with the Claremont Xa- 
tional P.ank, retaining the former name ami moving to the fine new building of 
the latter bank; the latter having been organized in l'>12, with J. T. Tirooks. M. F. 
and W. S. Palmer, .\. W. Towne and L. X. Smith as directors. The oldest 
business in the city is the book and drug store of Mr. O. II. Duvall. who as a 
student in the college began to sell bonks for the students in a room in Holmes 
Hall. During most of the time he was also the village postmaster, and un'.il Mr. 
Cree had become so well known and liked, it was thought that no one else could 
fill the place. 

The chief industry in Claremont. as in other foothill towns, is the citrus 
industry. Though not so widely known for its oranges as arc two or three other 
towns, yet even in this it has a certain distinction. .\s pointed out in a i)revious 
chapter, the first direct system of marketing fruit cooperatively was that of the 
Claremont California Fruit Growers Association, and their leading brand was 
the ''Indian Hill" brand, registered at the United States Patent Ot^ce. This 
association was also the first to advertise its fruit abroad, sending a box to Oueen 
\'ictoria in .Xpril, IS''.^. by fast freight over the Santa Fe to Xew ^'ork and tiience 
by fast steamer to Liverpool. A cordial letter of acknowledgment was received 
from the Queen in reply. From this first company, packing its fruit on the north 
platform of the Santa Fe station, the industry has grown in area of or.iiige groves 
and number of ranchers, until now it rec|nires three associations to market the 
fruit — F! Caniino Citrus Association and the Clarcmont Citrus .\ssociati<in. each 
with its large packing house, and the College Heights Orange .Association with 
two, one for oranges and one for lemons. .Xniong the successful orange growers 
of Claremont is Mr. I!. .\. Woodford, the efficient general manager of the Cali- 
fornia I'Vuit Growers F'xchange. from the time of its organization (following the 
Southern California FVuit Exchange) almost to the present time. 

Some indication of the material advance in the Claremont district is alTorded 
bv the assessment totals, which increased from $204,718 in I8O4 to S' 104 448 
in 101. ^. 

Claremonters await with jciyous interest the weekly issue of the Courier, its 
one paper, which is more than a newspaper, unique perhaps in the historv of local 
journalism, because the peculiar expression of an nntrammeled editorial mind 

Clarenifnit was peculiarly fortunate from the first in its grammar ■school 
building and teachers. The attractive building was put up in the boom davs as a 
imion schoolhonse ff)r the La \'erne and Claremont school districts, .\mong the 
early teachers were Mr. Xelson Scavcr, Miss Elizabeth Palmer, daughter of II. .\. 



202 I1IS'I'()K\' .WD moGRAI'HV 

1 'aimer, and long a valued teacher in the Los Angeles High School, ami Miss Lulu 
Snook (now Mrs. F. P. Fire}' of Pomona). The one who served longest as prin- 
cijial of the grammar school, identifying himself vitally with the life in the earlier 
years, was Mr. Herbert Patten, who came from Redlands with his wife, beloved 
of l)otli towns, to take the position. \\ iih his fine ideals and his deep affection 
and concern for all his boys and girls, he made a strong impress not onlv npon 
their lives Init upon the whole communit)'. .\s the town has grown, of course the 
schools have required new buildings, a grammar school, well designed for utility 
and to liarnumize with the .sycamores alxnit it. and a high school, modern .-md 
convenient and fairly well equipped. 

In one respect certainly Claremont is unique, among California towns of its 
size, if not anywhere in the country. Thus far a single church has served the 
needs of the community. Some have gone elsewhere to church on Sundavs, but a 
large part of the church-going people, and they are a good proportion of the popu- 
lation, are content to attend the Claremont church. Though Congregational in its 
as.sociations and confessed faith, yet it is so broadly catholic in spirit that peojile 
of all denominations nnite cordially in its ]niblic worship, its school and its social 
life. For a time those who were associated with the college continued to attend 
the church in Pomona, making the weary trip in the old college bus every Sunday, 
in dust or in mud. Then, in 1S')1, a group of forty-nine, manv of them from the 
Ponidtia Church, (irganized the Claremont Church. ]\lr. C. V>. Sumner added the 
pastorate of this little llnck to his either duties, and services were held in the dining 
room of Sunnier Hall, until Holmes Hall was built and its chapel was available. 
In spite of distracting surroundings and associations, this ministry was very 
strong and helpful. Then followed Rev. W. IT. ]\IcDougal, a rare spirit and a 
most sympathetic pastor; Rev. H. W. Jones, fine gentleman and scholar, who in 
the (Lays of his vigor was pastor of one of the leading churches in Xew England : 
l\e\'. 11. N. Kinnc}'. whose brief term was so full of the finest service to the church 
and college, and whose wife, since his death, has recognized no distinction between 
church and college and town in her continued usefulness to all. In ^lay, 1''00, 
Dr. Henry Kingman began his service of nearly twenty years. During this time 
the church building has been erected and the church has become one of the largest 
in the State. Rarely is a small town or college church sn fortimate in the leader- 
ship of one whose scholarship and ability are so high. 

Some years before incorporating as a municipality the peo|ile of Claremont 
effected a town organization, known as the "Town of Claremont." with selectmen, 
clerk and treasurer, and adopted regulations and ordinances. Incorporation was 
not accomplished without nnich honest opposition, especially from neighboring 
ranchers. ( )ther contests have arisen at times, as over the location of the high 
school, the voting of bunds, and political campaigns, yet the place has been 
unusually free from local quarrels and the "town versus gown" sjiirit which exists 
in so man\- college towns is hapiiih' \'ery little in evidence. 

Tin High small in numbers. Claremont has always had a good number of un- 
selfish and capable citizens to serve the ])eo])le as officers and as members of boards 
controlling ]niblic utilities, but the list is too long to enumerate. 

Ldniuiid Mitchell, the English novelist, once wrote of Claremont: "Many 
countries have I seen, many cities visited. lint no spot sii quickly or completely 
captivated me as this college town among the orange groves." 



IllSToin- AM) I'.IOC.RAl'in- JO.S 

IX CONCLUSION 

The history of this X'allcy holds vahiahle lessons fur its fiiliirc. Tlic naiiirc 
of its growth, the devclopinent 'if its industries, the character of its |)cip|i!e. arc 
all significant. Nature has ordained that the way of liie future, like ihnt of the 
past, sliall lie in agriculture rather than in manufacture. She invites especially 
those who would learn to receive her more immediate gifts of field and orchard, 
rather than those who prefer the noise of machinery, the rush of the street and the 
excitement of the exchange. 

Some who are not invited will continue to he attracted to this region. Those 
who seek here a climate which cures many ills and offers a new lease of life — • 
invalids of all sorts and of every degree of need, and elderly people who after lives 
of hard work rejoice in lighter toil amid hajipier surroundings; tourists who work 
in the h'ast. and s])end their winters (and a little money) here in jilay : retired 
capitalists who wouUl acquire large estates on wliich to build beautiful rcsi<lences. 
dividing their time and interest between this and other resorts — all these will wish 
to come in tlie future, as in the past. Nor should they be refused, so long as they 
contribute to the welfare of the community, in some measure suitably propor- 
tionate to tiieir ability and their means. Others — the grafters who find it easier 
here than elsewhere to live the life of a leech upon mankind, the foreigners who 
will not become assimilated as loyal .Americans, the hobos, and the criminals of 
worse ilk — should be denied. In all of these, whether their object in coming be 
wortliy or unworthy, there is much of menace. Not by them has the growth of 
the country been advanced or its character deterinined. 

The progress of industries in the \'alley indicates still more clearly the call 
of the future. The worthy ])urpose and industry of the Missions first liftcrl the 
country out of its native ignorance and savagery. Somewliat unrelated to this. 
and somewhat more primitive, was the simiile. wild life of the early ranchers, 
herding cattle and shipping to market their hides and tallow. With the raising of 
grain came a higher type of life, lifting also the stock raising to a higher plane. 
Then came the vineyards and deciduous fruits, and again a distinct advance in the 
average intelligence of the people, as more knowledge and more intensive elTort 
were ref|uired to develop these products. Finally, the citrus industry marks the 
highest develoijmcnt in the agricultural an<l horticidtural growth of the \'alley. 
Under its stimulation and compulsion, notable achievements have Ijeen made in 
other directions, as in the development and conservation of water, the traii'^ forma- 
tion and transmission of power, in the field of engineering: as also in the principle 
of cooperative marketing in the fieKl of economics. The high intelligence and 
determination to overcome difficulties. re<|uired for successful conduct of the citrus 
industry, have in turn raised this occupation from an ordinary trade to a science, 
and indeed to an art. 

In short, the Valley calls for workers and producers. Nature-lovers of deter- 
mined purpose and high intelligence. To such it offers full scope for their jjowers 
and ample returns for their investment anil effort. .As in the past, so in the 
future, the successful growth of the country depends upon the intelligent industry 
of earnest, bona fide citizens, striving honestly and diligently to ilevelop the re- 
sources of the country in democratic cooperation, at the same time attentive to 
the best teaching of school and church. 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



•i.i'.i Till-: Ri:c(iKi> i!K .\i.\i>i: di- tiik mi:.\ ami tihscs o 

l.hST TIIKV |-.\SS OIT OF MK.XrokV lOMORKow 
PHRI-KTIATK TIIKM NOT ll'o.s wool) ( 

ruAT Kx,^ K.rVoR;;^;;^'^: ^"'<-'^-'<" - ■■'--■-. ax,. ,x wok,.s 



AND AKI-: LOST. 
STOXI-: THAT CKIMI 



roDAV. 
TIIKX. 
Ij; TO 



■KirK-toiiJ. 



■■■^ TKiK I'i:i.ixi:ati.ix oi- tiik smai.i.hst max axi. iim sci-xi- 

<.KKATI-.ST max. Al.l. MKX AKK To AN IXMIST \K Mil I' I.RR 
nR.'TMKKS. KACIt MAX'S MMC A STRANGK KMMI.KM KrvrKV M V^: 
ANIMllMANI-ORTRAITS. ,.AITm.ri.I.V|,RAWN, VR,- o,: ,, ^• 

mi; \\i;i.ciiMi:sT OX iiiMAX w.M.i.s." 



I'ICTIRKS 



Thnituis I'arlyl,-. 




.^7^ 6-UAAAM^ 



BIO(;RAPniCAL 



HON. ALVAN TYLER CURRIER 

It may be doubted it any resident of the Pomona Valley is more 
widely known throughout California than the subject of this article. 
Certainly none has wielded a more potent influence in affairs that 
make for the upbuilding of a comnuinity and the development of its 
resources. For this reason, therefore, especial interest attaches to 
the record of his life, which is the story of a man who came to Cali- 
fornia poor in purse, but rich in expectation and in hope; a man of 
invincible determination and tireless energy, fitted by inherited endow- 
ments and early training for large responsibilities in the business 
world and in public affairs. 

The management of his varied interests makes Mr. Currier a 
very busy man. The most important object of his care is his large 
alfalfa, grain, stock and fruit ranch, comprising 2500 acres, situated 
five miles west of Pomona, just off the Southern Pacific stations of 
Spadra and Walnut. Here a considerable portion of Mr. Currier's 
time is spent. His energy is such that he is constantly at work, direct- 
ing, superintending and managing every department of the farm work; 
this, too, although there is no longer the necessity of hard work there 
was in earlier years. His ranch is watered by artesian wells, thus 
solving for him the sometimes vexing water problem. In every 
respect it shows the painstaking care of the owner and his intelligent 
super\ision. 

In Franklin County, Maine. Mr. Currier was born, April .^0. 
1840. a son of Alvan and Xancy (Clough) Currier, natives of Maine. 
His paternal ancestors are said to have been French, and his maternal 
ancestors were of English and Scotch extraction. His father, who 
was a son of Samuel Currier, of Cobb's Hill, Maine, served as a State 
Senator in Maine and heKl other official positions. The subject of 
this arti^cle was reared in Maine and received his education principally 
at the Farniington Academy. For a short time he taught school. On 
reaching his majority he started out in the world for himself, and in 
the winter of 1861-62 he saw California for the first time. However, 
he did not remain here, but went to Idaho and mined for gold and 
silver. 

In the fall of 1867 he left Idaho and returned to California. 
Soon, however, he went back to Maine to visit his relatives and 
friends, and in the spring of 1868 he came via the Isthmus of Panama 
from New York to San Francisco. Altogether he has crossed the 
Isthmus three times. In the spring of 1869 he came to Los Angeles 
County and purchaseil the ranch where he still makes his home. 



Jli lllSTom' \.\1) I'.IOGRAPHY 

Politically Mr. Currier has been an active factor in the Repub- 
lican party, and is counted one of its local leaders. In 1881 he was 
elected sheriff of Los Angeles County, which office he filled for two 
years. In 1898 he was elected to the State Senate from the Thirty- 
eighth California district. As a senator he manifested the deepest 
interest in the welfare of his constituents. He gave his influence to 
measures for the benefit of the people and the development of the 
state's magnificent resources. No one has had a greater faith in Cali- 
fornia than he, and his faith in its future has been unshaken by re- 
verses. With the keen, far-seeing eye of the pioneer, he has discerned 
the wonderful opportunities the country holds, and has never regretted 
casting his lot in with the people of this Valley, for his career here has 
been a prosperous one. In addition to his other interests, he is a 
director in the First National Bank of Pomona; a director in the San 
Antonio Fruit Exchange; was president of the San Antonio Canyon 
Water Company; was one of the organizers and is president of the 
Walnut Fruit Growers Association at Walnut; is presiclent of the Odel 
Fellows Hall Association of Pomona and has been a member of the 
Odd Fellows Lodge for many yell's. He was one of the organizers 
of, is president and a director of the Los Angeles County Farmers' 
Mutual Insurance Company, one of the most creditable institutions in 
the state, organized September 19, 1899. This company has never 
levied an assessment and charges about one-half of the old line com- 
panies' rates, has over $11,000,000 insurance in force and $45,000 on 
hand. This is one of the mutual institutions of the state that has 
attracted wide attention for its method of doing business and reflects 
great credit on Mr. Currier's forethought and good judgment. 

On March 20, 1881, Senator Currier married Mrs. Susan 
(Glenn) Rubottom, of Spadra, and she is an acti\e member of the 
Baptist Church of Pomona and a liberal contributor to all religious 
and philanthropic enterprises. She shares with her husband the 
esteem and sincere regard of a wide circle of friends in Los Angeles 
County. 

In Los Angeles Senator Currier is best known as the owner of 
the Currier Block, a large office building at 212 West Second Street. 
This structure is fitted with all the con\'eniences of a modern public 
building, and to the management of this building aiul property the 
Senator gives some of his attention. 

Mr. Currier has been a liberal contributor to the L^niversity of 
Redlands, and is a director of the institution. He has been a member 
of the Baptist Church for many years and a trustee e\er since the 
church was mo\'ed to Pomona, and has been a generous contributor 
to the church funds for the modern buiUling and other purposes. He 
also showed his interest in young men by donating one-half the value 
of the lot, some $15,000, on which the new Young Men's Christian 
Association building will stand in Pomona, and in every way he has 



IIIST( )]i\ AND \\H iC.KAI'in 213 

showcii his generous nature towards all worthy enterprises for the 
uptniikiinjr of the N'alley and County, and in his retrospect of a life 
well spent he can retire with the knowledge that he has done his full 
share in making this section a better place in which to live. 



K\M()\ \I JAR 

If membership in one of the notable pioneer families of Southern 
California means anything in these matter-of-fact times — and we 
believe that there are many Americans who, more and more, are 
appreciating historic associations — then may the family and descend- 
ants of Ramon W'jar regard with pride the story of his life, work and 
accomplishment. He was born at San Gabriel Mission on December 
24, 1830, the grandson of Salvador Vejar, the founder in California 
of the noted circle of that name. Salvador, in turn, was a native of 
Spain and came to .Mexico, and later came north across the border 
to California to assist in building the Spanish Missions. He was 
employeil. for example, in the erection of the San Gabriel Mission, 
founded by the Mission I'athers on September 8, 1771, and he also 
worked on the Church at the Plaza in Los Angeles. At the time of 
his death, he was very aged; while his wife, who was Joscfa Lopez 
before her marriage, lived to be 103 years old. Their children were: 
Magdalena, Pablo, Ricardo, Kmilio, Chrisostomo, Lazaro, Francisco, 
Nazaria, Ramona and Jose .Manuel. 

Ricardo, the father of the subject of our re\iew, was a native of 
San Diego, and became a wealthy cattle and laml owner, accumulating 
I3,0()0 acres and huniireds of cattle and horses in the Pomona \'alley. 
His house stood near the site of the present Louis Phillips homestead, 
and was built in the adobe style of those days. He also had two 
stores, through which he supplied the necessaries of life to those living 
remote from towns. The Indians in his neighborhood were friendly, 
but there was trouble enough with the redskins that came down from 
over the mountains, and stole such cattle as they could lay their hands 
upon. Wild animals were plenty, but of no use until, through labor 
and expense, they had been somewhat tamed — if tamed they could be. 
Ricardo married Maria Soto, and their union was blessed with eight 
children. Maria was the eldest; then came Pilar Francisco, Ramon, 
Joscfa, Antonio, Concepcion, Magdalena, and Vgnacio, the youngest. 
The third in the order of birth, Ramon, who is still living at the 
old ranch at the age of eighty-nine years, received 278 acres as his 
share of the estate, and this land he farmed for many years, making 
of some of it a first-class vineyard. His wife, now deceased, was 
Teresa Palomares before her marriage, and she was a daughter of 
"Ignacio Palomares, distinguisheil in the annals of that pioneer family, 
after whom the town of Palomares was named. It was this pros- 



214 HISTORY AND F.IOGRAFHV 

pective town, Harris Newniark, the obser\ant pioneer, tells us in his 
brimful "Sixty Years in Southern California," that was widely adver- 
tised during the "Boom" of 1887 through a flaming poster: "Grand 
Railroad Excursion and Genuine Auction Sale! No Chenanekin! 
Thursday, June 7, 1887. Beautiful Palomares, Pomona Valley! 
Lunch, Coffee, Lemonade, and Ice Water Free! Full Band of 
Music." Ramon and Teresa Vejar had twelve children, including 
Jose, Zolio (deceased), Ricardo, who lives in South Pasadena, 
Maggie, A\ho is at home, Frank Z., Constancia, the wife of P. S. 
Yorha, of Yorba, Orange County, Ygnacio, Estella, at home, Ramon, 
Abraham, Carolina (also deceased), and Riginaldo, who lives on the 
home place. 

Frank Z. Vejar is a native of Spadra, where he was born on 
February 5, 1864, and attended the first school in that district. It 
was on his father's ranch, and was taught by P. C. Tonner, secretary 
of the first teachers' institute, in 1870, ever held in Los Angeles 
County. Mr. Vejar is now located on a ranch of 100 acres, a part 
of the old Palomares ranch, which he has developed, through his pro- 
gressive and scientific methods, and brought to a high state of cultiva- 
tion. He has sunk two wells, and installed a fine electric pumping 
plant, and set out twenty-two acres to walnuts, now ten years old, from 
\\hich he procured in 1918 nine tons of nuts and in 1919 over fourteen 
tons, l^esides this he has planted a new walnut grove of forty acres 
south of the Pacific Electric tracks, and between the nut trees he has 
planted rows of peaches. He raises alfalfa and culti\'ates grapes; and 
he makes a success of all that he undertakes. Mr. and Mrs. Vejar 
also own \aluable business property in Pomona, including the X'ejar 
block, which they built on Main Street, between Second anti Third 
streets, as well as a 741 -acre ranch at Corona. 

When Frank Vejar married, \o\ember 20, 1892, in Yorba, he 
took for his wife Miss Frances Yorba. a native of Santa Ana in 
Orange County, and a descendant of the famous old Yorba family, of 
pure Spaifish extraction. At one time her folks owned 165,000 acres 
in what is now Orange County, grants given the pioneer Yorba by the 
indulgent King of Spain. Contrary to the tale often told of such 
early ranchers and the fate of their princely holdings, there are still 
some 1 1,000 acres of this original grant that are owned by four mem- 
bers of the Yorba family, and all are cultivated. Mr. and Mrs. Frank 
Vejar ha\'e had two daughters. Theresa died at age of four, and 
(jracc is the wife of W. M. Pipkin, and they have a daughter 
named Frances Joyce. The family attend the Roman Catholic Church 
and Mr. Vejar belongs to Pomona Lodge No. 789 of the Elks and 
also the Knights of Columbus. The Vejar family, therefore, preserve 
in a very interesting way the traditions of more than one line among 
the builders of California. 



lUSTokV AND i;i()C,K.\rilV _'15 

LOLIs IMIII.I.Il'S 

Well dcscrvinji; to lie held in lunjj; arul pleasant reiiieiiibraiKe as 
one of the sturdy pioneers who helped to fashion ami Iniiki the great 
comnionwealth of California, and who was especially a leader aiul 
controllinjT factor in Los Angeles and parts of the Southland, l.ouis 
l*hillips, who came to the Cjolden State in 1850, passed away at his 
home at Spadra on March 16, 1900. He was born in Cjermany on 
April 22, 1829, and when only thirteen years of age crossed the ocean 
to America with an elder brother. For seven years, he folkiwed 
mercantile life in Louisiana, and then with a party of friemls, he 
bought a sailing vessel ami came 'round the Horn to San Francisco. 
He tried his luck at mining, but without success; anil then, with a 
brother, Fitcl, he opened a little store for the sale of general mer- 
chandise on the Long Wharf in the Bay City. Dissatisried with that 
\enture, he sold out to his brother, came south and located in Los 
Angeles, where he again engaged in general mercantile traile; after 
which he bought a portion of the so-called San Antonio ranch on the 
San Gabriel Ri\er, a fine stretch of several thousand acres, on which 
for ten years he farmed and raised stock. In 186.3. he removed to 
Spadra, then in the San Jose, now in the Pomona \'alley, and bought 
12,000 acres of the San Jose Rancho. Three years later, on October 
18, 1866, Mr. Phillips was married to Ksther A. Blake, a native of 
Illinois and the daughter of William and Joyce A. Blake, who crossed 
the plains to California with her parents and settled in the San Jose 
Valley; an attractixe woman enjoying a wide circle of friends, who 
died at Spadra on December 1, 1918, the mother of four children — 
Charles B., now deceased; George S. Phillips, of Pomona; Louis R. 
Phillips, of Spadra, and Nellie B., an only daughter, now .Mrs. .\. F. 
George of Los Angeles. Louis Phillips was an Odd lellow ami was 
a charter member of Pomona Lodge No. 246. 

As with all big California ranches, the division of the property 
of Louis Phillips was only a matter of time, antl has been under 
special consideration of late. The estate includes the Phillips ranch 
of about 6,000 acres adjoining Pomona on the southwest, 1,500 acres 
of which are as fine land as can be founil in Southern California, ami 
as this is ripe for subdisision, the action is of \ ital importance to 
Pomona. 

I his rancho of Louis Phillips has a romantic history closely 
associated with early Spanish days in California; for it was a portion 
of the original grant made by the King of Spain to the Palomares and 
N'ejar families. One of the early trails to California came over the 
Cajon Pass, through San Bernardino, Cucamonga, and passed the 
Phillips farm, and many a prairie-schooner party stoppeil there, some- 
times overnight, often for a longer stay, anil passengers bv the stage 
route to Yuma also traveled that way. Phillips raised cattle ^nd 



216 HISTOliV AND BIOGRAPHY 

sheep on a large scale, and during the shearing of the thousands of 
sheep there were busy scenes such as will ne\'er again greet the eye 
of the traveler. What relation this neighborly and large-hearted 
rancher maintained to the rural life of this section may be gathered 
from the late Harris Newmark's "Sixty Years in Southern Cali- 
fornia," wherein he tells, among other things, of the early horse races. 
"The peculiar character of some of the wagers," he says, "recalls to 
me an instance of a later date when a native customer of Louis Phillips 
tried to borrow a wagon, in order to bet the same on a horse race. If 
the customer won, he was to return the wagon at once; but if he lost, he 
was to pay Phillips a certain price for the vehicle !" 

According to Phillips' contemporary, just quoted, the history of 
the San Jose Rancho in question had various twists and turns. Not 
less than 22,000 acres made up the grant given to Ricardo 
Vejar and Ygnacio Palomares by Governor Aharado as early 
as 1837, and when Luis Arenas joined the two partners about 1840, 
Alvarado renewed his grant, tacking on a league or two of San Jose 
land lying to the west and nearer to the San Gabriel JMountains. 
Arenas, in time, disposed of his interest to Henry Dalton; and Dalton 
joined Vejar in applying to the courts for a partitioning of the estate. 
This division was ordered by the Spanish Alcalde in the late forties; 
but Palomares still objected to the decision, and the matter dragged 
along in the tribunals many years, the decree finally being set aside 
by the court. It is a curious fact that not until the San Jose Rancho 
had been so cut up that it was not easy to trace it back to the original 
grantees, did the authorities at Washington finally issue a patent to 
Dalton, Palomares and Vejar for the 22,000 acres which in the 
beginning made up the ranch. 

The great land domain also had its tragedies, one of which is 
narrated, in his interesting manner, by Harris Newmark. "In 1864," 
he says, "two Los Angeles merchants, Louis Schlesinger and Hyman 
Tischler, owing to the recent drought foreclosed a mortgage on 
several thousand acres of land known as the Ricardo Vejar property, 
lying between Los Angeles and San Bernardino. Shortly after this 
transaction, Schlesinger was killed on his way to San I'"rancIsco, in 
the Ada Hancock explosion; after which Tischler purchased Schles- 
inger's interest in the ranch and managed it alone. In January, 
Tischler invited me to accompany him on one of the numerous excur- 
sions which lie made to his newly-acquired possession, but, though 
I was inclined to go, a business engagement interfered ami kept me 
in town. Poor Edward Newman, another friend of Tischler, took 
my place. On the way to San Bernardino from the rancho, the 
travelers were ambushed by some Mexicans, who shot Newman 
dead. It was generally assumed that the bullets were intended for 
Tischler, in re\-enge for his part in the foreclosure; at any rate, he 



HISTORY AND I'.K H'.RAl'1 1 V 2\7 

would never go to the ranch again, and tinally soUl it to Don Louis 
Phillips, on credit, for $30.00(1. Jhe inventory included large herds 
of horses and cattle, which Phillips (during the subseijuent wet season) 
drove to Utah, where he realized sufficient from their sale alone to 
pay for the whole property. Pomona and other important places now 
mark the neighborhood where once roamed his herds." 



JOSt DOLORI'S PALOMARES 

There is scarcely a resident of the eastern part ot I.os Angeles 
County to whom the name of Palomarcs is unfamiliar. Particularly 
is this true of those who are acquainted with the early history of the 
county. At a very early day the family became established here, 
having come from Mexico and originally from Spain, of which country 
thev belonged to the nobility. The representative of the family whose 
name introduces this sketch and who was a well-known citizen of 
La Verne, traces his lineage to Don Juan Leocadio Palomarcs, ot 
Sonora, Mexico, who married Dona Maria Antonia Gonzales ile 
Zayas and had an only son. Cristobal. As a sergeant in the 
Mexican army the latter became connected with the military affairs 
of his native land. In the early days he .Identifieil himself with the 
pioneers of the then straggling hamlet of Los Angeles, where he 
served as judge and built a home on the present site of the Arcaile 
depot. When quite advanced in years he passeil away, thus closing 
a career that had been long anti intimately associated with the pioneer 
history of the City of the Angels. By his marriage to Benedita Saiz 
he had the following-named children : Concepcion, Barbara, Rosario, 
Francisco, ^'gnacio, of the Rancho San Jose, Louise. Dolores. .Maria 
Jesus and Josefa. 

The fourth member of this family, in order of birth, was Fran- 
cisco, who was born in 1806 and grew to manhood amid the primitive 
surroundings of his California home. During his entire lite he de\ oted 
himself to farming, much of the time making his home in San Jose, 
where he had a ranch with large numbers of cattle and horses. At the 
time of his death he was eighty-three. His wife, .Margarita ( Pacheco) 
Palomarcs, had died in 1857 when lift>-two years of age. They were 
the parents of the following-nametl chiKlren : Bcncilita, Maria Jesus, 
Christopher, Rosalio, Jose Dolores (the subject of this article), Con- 
cepcion and Francisco. 

In the sketch of Portirio Palomarcs, on another page, will be 
found further mention of the lamily genealogy ami a record of the 
descent as traced from the governor of the castle of St. Ciregorv. at 
Oran, Spain. Jose Dolores Palomarcs was born in San Jose. Cal., 
March 24, 1841, and was reared to a knowledge of farm affairs. 
Selecting agriculture for his life work, he turned his attention to 



218 niSTURV AXL) UK )GRAPHY 

farming in the Calaveras Valley and also had ten years of experience 
in ranching in Santa Clara County. A later venture was the real 
estate business, which occupied six years, and afterward he spent three 
years carpentering at Contra Costa. In 1876 he came to La Verne, 
where he owned a valuable farm and gave his attention to a super- 
vision of his interests. In 1882 he erected a commodious house and 
barn, planted fruit trees of various kinds and a vineyard. He died 
in about 1909. By his marriage to Sarafina Macias, daughter of 
Estaban Macias of Mexico, he had nine children, namely: Porfirio, 
Maggie, Chonita, Francisco, Arturo, Emilia, Rosa, Issavcl and 
Ernestine. 



JAMES M. FRYER 

A successful rancher and a devoted member of the Baptist 
Church, who has the honor of being the son of a pioneer settler and 
preacher of the Word of God, is J^nies M. Fryer, who was born in 
Conway County, Ark., June 25, 1847, the son of Rev. Richard C. 
and Caroline (Vea/.ey) Fryer, both natives of Alabama. Richard 
Fryer crossed the plains to California with ox teams in 1852, there 
being seventy-fi\"e wagons in their train. He had with him his wife 
and four children; they encountered troublesome Indians and were 
seven months on the trip, finally drawing up at El Monte, Los Angeles 
County, in the fall of 1852. There he took a squatter's right and 
farmed the land. He was ordained as a minister of the Baptist 
Church and preached the Gospel; and as the only minister for miles 
around he both married and buried many. In 1867 he located at 
Spadra, when there were only three white families in the Valley, and 
bought 250 acres of land which he farmed. There were no trees 
then — all was a vast plain. While here Richard Fryer was very prom- 
inent in the affairs of the community and by reason of his superior 
ability and intellectual qualities he was honored by frequent selection 
to occupy positions of honor. In 1857 he was elected to the office 
of county supervisor, which he filled with efficiency, and he served a 
term as a member of the lower house of the California legislature in 
1870 and 1871. After several years' residence at Spadra he sold out 
his interests there and moved to Los Angeles, where he passed away. 
Eleven children were born to this worthy couple, James M. being the 
third child. 

James obtained his early education at the public schools at El 
Monte and in 1867 he began life for himself, buying fifty acres of 
land at Spadra, later adding more acreage, so that he now owns 112 
acres. For a while he engaged in grain farming. Becoming inter- 
ested in horticulture he set out an orchard of walnuts and oranges, 
de\oting thirty acres to Valencia and Navel oranges and forty acres 




0^'. 




illSTokV AND lUoCKAl'llV _'_'! 

to walnuts. In all this ranching he has been very successful. I'or 
many years he served as a trustee of the San Jose school district, now 
the Spadra school district, being clerk of the board of trustees. Polit- 
ically a Democrat, he has always been very active in the political 
circles of the community. In 1878 he served as justice of the peace 
of his township and during President Cle\eland's first administration 
he was appointed postmaster of Spadra, a position which he held for 
several years, being exceedingly popular with all classes of people, 
irrespecti\'e of party ties. 

Mr. Fryer was married on November 20, 1870, to Miss Isabel 
Arnett, a native of Mississippi. There were born six chiKlrcn, two 
of whom are living. Bertha has become the wife of A. A. Salisbury, 
and she has one son. James. They reside at San Bernardino. Roy 
M. is a grailuate of the I'nivcrsity of California; he taught in th" 
(^ro\ille anil Santa Rosa high schools and was later head ot the science 
department of the Sacramento high school. His marriage united 
him with Minerva Biller, and they ha\e two sons — F.d«ard M. and 
Robert R. He now resides at Spadra and assists his father in the 
care of his ranch. 

The Baptist Church at Spadra was organi/eil by .Mr. Fryer's 
father, and James Fryer is the only living charter member. Later 
the church was moved to Pomona and he has officiated- as chairma.i 
of the board of trustees since that time. An interesting chapter in 
the life story of the Fryers associates them with popular education in 
an enviable manner. According to the Pomona Biillclin, after serving 
in the Spadra school district for the past forty-two years, J. M. Fryer, 
who has been called the "father of his school." resigned his position 
and his place was iilled by the election of his son, Roy Frver. In 
referring to his long term as director on the district school board. 
Mr. Fryer spoke interestingly of the many changes he has seen take 
place. 

"I became a director soon after the Spadra school district was 
formed," he said, "and at that time there were about 100 children in 
the district. Soon after I became a member of the boanl a new 
school building was erected, the same building which is now in use. 
There are now very few children in the district, ^'ou sec, years ago 
as the people began to settle in this vicinity all of them had large 
families and the children attended the Spadra school. But when thj 
children grew up they scattercil out into other places, leaving the old 
folks at home. None of them wanted to sell their land, for t'lev think 
it is good enough for them, so there has been but little opportunitv for 
families with children of school age to locate in this tlistrict during the 
more recent years." During the time, continues the writer in th." 
fiiilliliii. that .Mr. I ryer has held the position of school board director 
he has given generously of his time and has served faithfully antl with 
great satisfaction to his district. 



222 HISTORY .VXD H1()GR.\I'IIV 



PORFIRIO PALOMARES 



The Palomares family of California is descended from Don 
Francisco de Palomares, governor of the castle of St. Gregory at 
Oran, Spain. In his family there were six children, namely, Esteban, 
who was lieutenant-colonel of the Knights of the Order of Santiago; 
Don Juan, who became governor of the castle after his father's death; 
Don Antonio, who was a judge; Don Jose; Eugenio, who lost his life 
as S I'l^Suk of his attempts to overthrow the Catholic religion; and 
Di)na Francisca, who married Don Diego Francisco, Knight of the 
Order of Santiago and governor of the plaza of Oran. The second 
of the sons. Captain Juan, is remembered in the history as the officer 
who led his men in a determined but hopeless resistance against the 
Turkish troops at Borcha. After the majority of his troops had been 
slain, not being able to defend himself and the castle, he set Hre to the 
powder house or depository, and blew up the castle, beneath whose 
ruins the dead bodies of himself and his men were later found. 

Tracing the history of the family down toward the present, we 
find another Don Francisco de Palomares, a well-known citizen of 
Toledo, Spain. His children were Don Francisco, who was clerk 
of the city of Madrid; Donicio, Maria Josefa and Juan Leocadio. 
The last-named crossed the ocean from Spain to Mexico and estab- 
lished a home in Sonora, where he married Dona Maria Antonia 
Gonzales de Zayas, sister of Father Fllias, an influential priest. Their 
only son, Juan Francisco, was born in Sonora, and became the father 
of the following children: Herman, Antonia, Juana, Francisca, Pro- 
cofio, Almara, Tranquilina, Fiburcio, Manuel, Ygnacio and Jesus. 
Among the children of Manuel was Juan Leocadio, by whose marriage 
to Maria Antonio Gonzales was born an only child, Cristobal. The 
latter came to Los Angeles as a sergeant in the Mexican army and 
afterward served as judge of Los Angeles. Flis residence stood on 
the present site of the Arcade depot. By his marriage to Benedita Saiz 
he had the following children: Concepcion, Barbara, Rosario, Fran- 
cisco, Ygnacio, Louise, Dolores, IVLaria Jesus and Josefa. Of this 
family Ygnacio married Concepcion Lopez, and their children were 
Louise, Teresa, Tomas, Francisco, NLmuel, Josefa, Concepcion, Caro- 
line and Maria. The secontl of the sons, Francisco, at an early age 
secured employment as assistant on a ranch. Later he became a large 
property owner and wealthy cattleman. It is said that for years he 
was the largest land owner in all of the Pomona Valley, and over his 
fields roamed thousands of cattle and horses. Eventually he carried 
fewer heads of stock, but of a higher grade. On the ground where 
the home of Mr. Nichols now stands he built a large adolie house, and 
here the happiest days of his life were passed, in the society of his 
family and the many friends whom his genial qualities had drawn to 
him. In those days there was an abundance of rain, consequently the 



HISTORY AXI) lUOCRAI'llV 223 

pastures were in excellent condition for the stock. Little land was 
culti\ated. Indians were numerous, but did no damage except to steal 
cattle occasionally. Wild game abounded, and the sportsman found 
rare pleasure in hunting the deer, antelope, bears and wolves with 
which the remote \alleys were filled. Little did those pioneers ilream 
of the wonderful transformation of the present; some of them lived 
to witness many of the changes wrought by the incoming of American 
settlers, and Francisco was among them. The increase in the values 
of land caused hiin to dispose of much of his property, ami his last 
ciays were spent in retirement from business. Lie was one of the 
leading Democrats of his day and locality and for some time tiileil 
the office of supervisor. In religion he was of the Catholic faith. I le 
died in 1882 when forty-six years of age, leaving a wife antl four 
children. The former was Lugarda AKarado, a nati\e of Los 
Angeles, and who died June 14, 1896, at the age of lifty-six years. 
The children were Concepcion, who married Eduardo Avila ; Chris- 
tina; Francisco, who married \'irginia Miller; and Portirio. who forms 
the subject of this article. 

When the estate w-as divided Porfirio Palomares received seventy- 
six acres for his share, of which amount he afterward sold twenty-nine 
acres. At this writing he owns 191 acres of excellent land where he 
raises alfalfa for feed. In addition he is the possessor of forty-three 
acres in San Diego County, the whole forming what is known as the 
Montserrat Ranch. His attention is de\oted to a general farming 
business and to the management of his vineyard. On his place will 
be seen a substantial set of buildings, provided with the motlern equip- 
ments. Like his tather, he is a Roman Catholic in religion and a 
Democrat in politics. With his wife, Hortense, daughter of Vicente 
Yorba of Orange County, he has a large circle of friends throughout 
Southern California, and is regarded as a worthy descendant of 
Spanish nobility. 



MRS. FRANCl'.S ADA PATTI-.N 

Among the teachers of the Golden State who ha\e contributed 
definitely, permanently and mightily to its development as a great 
commonwealth is Mrs. Frances Ada Patten, a pioneer instructor in 
both Pomona and Los Angeles. A native daughter well worthy of 
her birthright, Mrs. Patten was born at (iold Lake. Sierra County, on 
July .3, 1860, the daughter of Joseph D. and Catherine F. (Shaw) 
Connor, who came to California in June, 1857. The name was orig- 
inally O'Connor, but when the family located in Southern California 
they dropped the "O." lor a while .Mr. Connor engaged in the 
uncertain ventures of a miner; then he purchased a resort at Ciold 
Lake and afterward wandered all o\er the state. .Mrs. Connor, a 
member of the Shaw family of Texas, was a school teacher, and 
a sketch of her life is found in the annual publication of 19!.^ of 



224 11IST(JRV AXD l!IOGR.\rHV 

Los Anjfeles County pioneers. Coming to Los Angeles in 1870, Mr. 
Connor prospected o\er a witle area among the mining camps, was 
engaged in contracting anel building and also opened the first tish 
market in Los Angeles. He built all the stations tor the mule-team 
trains that hauled freight for Mr. Nadeau between Los Angeles 
and Independence, and in the latter place Mrs. Connor taught school. 
Mr. Connor died in 1875 and she passed away in 1912 at San Fran- 
cisco. She was a sister of M. W. Shaw of Cialveston, Texas, and was 
a member of a family that had li\-ed there since 1847 and had become 
prominent, aiul they are represented in Green and Bancroft's History 
of Texas. 

There were se\'en children born to Mr. and Ah^s. Connor, fcnir 
boys and three girls, and Frances Ada was the second oldest child. 
She was educated in the public schools and was a member of the class 
of "78 — the fourth class graduated from the Los Angeles high school. 
The same year she received a certificate to teach from the county 
school authorities. For a year she taught school at Cucamonga, anci 
then was among the first teachers at Pomona, and remained here for 
three and a half vears, after which she was a teacher in the schools 
of Los Angeles and was vice-principal of the Castellar Street school. 

In May, 1875, the last old-fashioned public school ALiy Queen 
celebration \\as held in the Arroyo Seco on Pasadena A\enue. It had 
all of the old trinmiings and ceremonies. In an account of the celebra- 
tion, it is spoken of as the Flistorical Picnic of Los Angeles, and Mrs. 
Patten is referreti to as the historical May Queen. 

brom the summer of 1885 until the entrance of the United States 
into the World War, Mrs. Patten gave her time and attention to her 
home and the rearing of her talented family, but she felt the call of 
duty and did her bit by educational work from 1914 to 1918 in Ameri- 
canizing foreigners, gi\ing lectures to teachers and practical demon- 
strations on that phase of work known as the Camp School, tier 
program of industrial M'ork iiicluded teaching English to foreign 
mothers; and her song lessons were adopted by the California State 
Immigration Commission and were published in Primer Xo. 1 1 ior 
Foreign Women, designed for use throughout the state. 

On New Year's Day, 188.^, at Los Angeles, Aliss Connor was 
married to Charles M. Patten, a native of Merrimac, Essex County, 
Mass., where he was born on June 8, 1849. He was the son of 
Cieorge Pickering and Sarah Elizabeth (Little) Patten and the family 
descended from Colonial and Revolutionary stock. The father was 
a carriage maker and for a time Charles M. Patten follow^ed carriage 
painting; but on coming to California in September, 1874, he engaged 
In railroad work with the Southern Pacific. He was one of the train 
crew that brought out the people for the auction of the first town lots 
sold in Pomona, and fired on the train that went to the driving of the 
gold spike at Lang Station, cementing Los Angeles with San Fran- 



HISTORY WD niOGRAI'in' _'_'5 

cisco. Now ail iiualid, he is rctirctl on a pension ami has the honor 
of having been chief for ten successive years of his division h)tljrc of 
locomotive engineers. Mr. I'atten is a Jescemiant of Wilham Patten 
of Cambridge, Mass.. the family history dating back to \6M, accord- 
ing to 'Ihomas W. Baldwin's I'atten genealogy, and he is the first 
of his line to establish the California branch of the family. 

•Mr. and Mrs. Patten are the parents of three sons ami a 
daughter: Francis Alan, an attorney of Los Angeles, grailuated at 
the Los Angeles Polytechnic, read law with Judge Bonlwell and was 
admitted to the bar after a course in the Law School of the University 
of Southern California. When the war broke out he ga\e up his 
practice and entered the service and won promotion through merit as 
regimental sergeant major in the judge advocate ilepartment at Camp 
Lewis. He served from September 6. 1917. until his discharge, in 
May, 1919. Me is a member of the Delta Chi legal fraternity and 
is a talenteil amateur \iolinist. James L. is a graduate of the Los 
Angeles I'olytechnic and the Law School of the L'niversitv of Southern 
California. He. too, was practicing law at the beginning of the war, 
but enlisted in the second unit, Stanford Ambulance Corps; while in 
France. December 3. 1917. he reenlisted in the L'nited States Aviation 
Corps and served as a second lieutenant until dischargeil. I'ebruary 
3. 1919. He is recognized as an orator and was the president of the 
student body during his Polytechnic and University days; he is also 
a natural musician and an especially tine performer on the flute. He 
is a member of the Phi Delta Phi.' Phi Gamma Delta, Ram's Head 
Society. Chaparral and University Clubs. Clement Millanl. called 
"Jack" by his friends, is a graduate of Los Angeles high school and 
was presiilent of the student body there. He is now working his way 
through Stanford University, and did his share of war work. Sarah 
E., a graduate of Los Angeles high school and Los Angeles Poly- 
technic, is the first young girl to graduate from the Law School of the 
University of Southern California with the Master's degree. She has 
maile a specialty of sociological questions ami gi\es promise of reach- 
ing a high mark. She is married to .Frank P. Doherty. who entered 
the Second (Jflicers' Training Camp, obtained a captain's commission, 
was stationed at Camp Lewis from December, 1917. to June, 1918. 
He went to France as captain of Machine Gun Company of the Three 
Hundred Sixty-first Infantry, Ninety-first Di\ision. He'was promoted 
to major for bravery in battle on September 29, 1918; he was in the 
St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne salients, and on October 4, 1918, was 
again cited for bra\ ery. was wounded October 9, 1918, rejoined his 
regiment in Helgium and was commamler of the First Battalion of the 
Three Hundred Sixty-f^rst Infantry. He was discharged April 30, 
1919. and is now practicing law in Los Angeles. .Mr. and Mrs. 
Doherty are the parents of three children : Frank Wilder. lames Alan 
and John 1 .dmund. 



226 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

CHARLES M. STONE 

Prominent among the leading and successful citizens of Pomona 
is Charles M. Stone, president of the First National Bank. Born in 
Burlington, Vt., August 4, 1863, the son of Micah H. and Mary 
(Gilmour) Stone, he was the second child in a family of six children. 
Educated in the public schools of his native city, he was graduated 
from the Burlington High School with the class of 1881. His first 
position was with a large wholesale lumber company, but he gave this 
up to become bookkeeper in the Merchants' National Bank of Bur- 
lington, then the largest commercial bank in Vermont. 

Mr. Stone resigned his position with the bank in December, 1887, 
to come to Pomona, where for two years he was bookkeeper and 
cashier for the Pomona Land and Water Company. He was then 
offered the position of assistant cashier of the People's Bank of 
Pomona, which he accepted. Later he became cashier and was elected 
a director of the bank, retaining his position until the institution was 
merged with The National Bank of Pomona, when Mr. Stone assumed 
the responsible post of cashier of the consolidated institution. Resign- 
ing this office In January, 1904, he became cashier of the First National 
Bank, of which he was later made a director. In August, 1914, he was 
elected \'ice-president, and In No\cmber, 1915, became president of the 
bank and chairman of the board of directors. 

This institution is the largest and strongest bank In the locality 
and has been conspicuously identified with the development of the 
entire Pomona Valley. Supporting every worthy project that has had 
for its aim the promotion of the best interests of its citizens, and the 
development of the resources of the community, the bank under the 
guidance of Mr. Stone has made rapid strides, commensurate with 
the increase of Pomona's growth in population, anci now ranks with 
any of Its size and capitalization in California. The position occupied 
by the bank in the financial world is due to the fact that Its capable 
officers, board of directors and employees ever work In harmony to 
the end that the Institution shall always be in the van of progress 
in the diversified and helpful service it renders to its increasingly 
large clientele. 

Mr. Stone was married in Pomona to Miss Mabel Buffington, a 
nati\e of Onawa, Iowa, and three children hnve been born to them. 
Edmund Parker, the eldest, responded to the call of his country, be- 
came a lieutenant in the United States Army, and Is now employed 
in the Wells Fargo Ne\ada National Bank of San Prancisco; George 
Gilmour, the second son, and Marian, the daughter, are students in 
the Pomona High School. 

Fraternally, Mr. Stone Is a Knight Templar, a thirty-second 
degree Mason and a Shriner. He Is an acti\'e member of the Pomona 
Chamber of Commerce, a director of the Sax'Ings Bank of Pomona; 



HISTORY AND IW( x'.RAI'llV 



LJ./ 



the Soutiicrn Counties Gas Company; the I'oniona Cemetery Associa- 
tion; the Harold Bell Wright Picture-Story Corporation; the Cali- 
fornia Get)rgc Junior Republic; atul the Masonic lempie Association 
of Pomona. Mr. Stone has entered heartily into the development of 
Southern California, especially of his adopted city and its environs, 
where his influence is felt for good along many lines of activity and 
where he holds an assurei.1 place as an efficient, progressive business 
man and citizen. 



WALTER SCOTT CARSON 

Wonderful have been the changes in Pomona Valley witnessed 
by Walter Scott Carson, the esteemed pioneer, who has giscn his best 
ertorts and years to build up and improve the former barren lands by 
intensive farming. He was born near Chester, Randolph County, 
III., July 14, 1860. His father. David Carson, was a native of Gallo- 
way, Scotland, who after completing his early education went to sea 
at sixteen years of age, and for sixteen years he sailed the briny deep, 
passing through many hardships and exciting experiences as well as 
narrow escapes. When thirty-two years of age he quit the salt water 
and spent two years on the Mississippi River, when he settled down 
in Randolph County. III., and there he married Susan McLaughlin, a 
native of North Carolina whose father also hailed from Scotland. 
David Carson was an honest, industrious farmer and through his 
years of work he acquired a competence. He was a great reader and 
always well informed and stood high in the esteem of the whole 
community. He died in 1872 and his wife three years later. 

Of the eleven children born to this worthy couple all but one 
grew up and seven are still living. Walter Scott was ninth in order 
of birth and was reared on the Illinois farm and educated in the 
schools of the vicinity. Being the oldest boy in the family it was 
necessary for him to go to work from the time he was a lad, so when 
he was only nine years old we find him driving a team in the tields; he 
was always handy with horses, having no difficulty in handling them, 
and this part of the farm work he always especially enjoyed. .After 
his mother's death the farm was sold, and he then went out into the 
world to make his way. He continuetl working on farms during the 
summers and attending school in the winters; during these years he 
suHered much from chills and fever and he determined that as soon 
as he was of age, when he would come into his inheritance, he would 
migrate elsewhere, so in 1881 he started for California, arriving in 
Pomona on August 18 of that year. 

Pomona was then only a small village with two stores, a livery 
barn, a blacksmith shop and a saloon. Mr. Carson found emplovment 
under .M. (j. Rogers on a ranch, where he continueil for a period of 
two and a half years, when he went to work for the Pomona Land and 



228 IIISTORN' WD l'.J( )GR.\1'1TV 

Water Company. He began as a teamster, soon became foreman, and 
then superintendent of all outside work for the last two years. In all 
he ser\ed the company tor ii\e years, and during this time they sunk 
artesian wells and had sixty Howing wells when he resigned to engage 
in the real estate business in Pomona. Later he engaged in cement 
contracting, building cement lines and reservoirs. While building the 
reser\()ir on the Loop place at Claremont, Mr. Carson was waited 
upon by a committee from the city council of Pomona, asking him to 
accept the position of city marshal, the first incumbent of the office 
having been rec]uested to resign soon after taking the office. 

Mr. Carson accepted the position and filled his term with zeal 
and ability. However, he refused to be a candidate for reelection. 
When he became city marshal there were sixteen saloons in Pomona, 
but this number was reduced to six through making a high license 
rate. The new jail was also built during this time and the cooler 
dispensed with. After finishing his term of office he purchased a ten- 
acre ranch on Cucamonga Avenue in North Pomona. He dug out the 
vines and planted oranges, continuing there for three years when he 
sold it; after this he teamed for one year and then bought six acres 
at La X'ernc which he impixned to oli\es and peaches and one acre 
of lemons. When six years had passed he found that he had not 
realized a dollar on the oli\es and peaches, so he dug them up and 
set out oranges. He had watered the lemons for six years from a tank 
filleil by a windmill, and he then secured water from the ditch. He 
also purchased t\\'enty-twt) acres in La \\M-ne; it had no water on it 
and was set out to oli\es anil primes. In view of his former experience 
he grubbed these out anil planted oranges instead, watering them with 
water hauled in a tank for two years. He then bored a well and 
installed a pumping plant and water system, afterwards disposing of 
the place. He then continued on his six acres and also purchased 
thirteen and a half acres of raw land on the Base Line Road, which 
he le\-elled anil set out to oranges, at the same time building a residence 
on the upper part of the place. Ha\'ing sold the original six acres he 
gave his time to his ranch in Li\'e Oak Canyon, bringing it to a high 
state of culti\ation, when he sold it at a good profit, retaining his 
residence. He now owns a small gro\'e on Bradford A\'enue which 
he is caring for and building up with his customary zeal. 

Mr. Carson's marriage, which occurred in Pomona, united him 
with Rachel Van Zant Meredith, who was born in Pennville, Ind., and 
who is a niece of L. C. Meredith of La Verne. They are members 
of the Presbyterian Church of Pomona and prominent in its circles. 
In politics Mr. Carson is an ardent Republican. It is to men of his 
energy and perseverance that much of the present success of the (grange 
industry is due, for he, with other early pioneers, went through the 
experimental stages, thus discovering the best and most successful crops 
from a commercial standpoint for Pomona Valley. 



HIST()K^■ AM) IWoC.K Al'IlN 2M 



CALF.B WHITE 



Very few of the men who lived in Pomona were idcntilictl with 
the history of California for a longer period than Caleb I'.. White. 
He was one of the '49ers who were led to cast in their lot with the 
then unknown West at the time of the discovery of gold here. The 
wonderful impro\ements that have brought this state to a foremost 
position among the great commonwealths of America he witncsseil 
and he deservedly occupied a position among the public-spirited 
pioneers to whose self-sacrillcing efforts the organization ami tle\clop- 
ment of the state may be attributed. 

Mr. White was born in East Randolph, now I lolbrook, Mass., 
February 5, 1830, a son of Jonathan and Abigail (Holbrook) White, 
natives of the same place as himself. His father, who was the son of 
a I\c\ olutionary soldier, was for years engaged in the manufacture 
of shoes at Holbrook. During his boyhood our subject had some 
experience in the nursery business at Holbrook, where he attended 
the grammar and high schools. When nineteen years of age he started 
for California, being one of a party of fifteen who purchased the brig 
Arcadia, ami saileii from Boston for San Irancisco \ia the Straits of 
Magellan. After a tedious voyage of 263 days thev sailed through 
the Golden Gate October 29. 1849. In 1850'Mr. White embarked 
in the general mercantile business in Sacramento, as a member of 
the firm of White & Hollister. However, this firm was dissolved in 
a short time. Subsequently he engaged in the nursery business on a 
ranch on the American River, and also for seventeen years was a 
member of the firm of White & Hollister at Courtland, in the raising 
of fruits. At a later date he became interesteii in sheep raising witli 
James Denman, having a sheep ranch of 6,000 acres at Florence. Los 
Angeles County. 

The year 1880 found Mr. White a pioneer of what is now the 
city of Pomona. He was one of the prime movers in securing the 
organization of the city, and served as a member of its first board of 
trustees. He became one of the well-known horticulturists of the 
region. His place consisted of seventy acres, of which sixtv acres were 
in orchard. In aiidition to the management of this property, he served 
for ten or more years as vice-president of the People's Bank of 
Pomona, owning the bank building: he was one of the trustees of the 
University of Southern California. The Republican party always 
received his allegiance and its candidates his vote. He was invariably 
found on the side of progress and development, and his support was 
given to measures for the benefit of the city and the development of 
its resources. Fraternally he was a Mason and in religion a member 
of the Pomona Methoiiist l!piscopal Church. 

The marriage of .Mr. White took place in Sacramento, Cal.. 
November 13. 1857. and united him with .Mrs. Rebecca Ann Holship, 



232 HISTORY AXD rJOGRAPIIV 

nee Ferguson, burn in Nashville, Tenn., December 12, 1835. She 
crossed the plains with her husband and baby, and were the only ones 
in the train who had horse teams. They brought with them two negro 
slaves, who were emancipated after arrival in California. Mr. and 
Mrs. White have two living children : Nannie C, born in Sacramento, 
is the wife of Charles L. Northcraft, of Patagonia, Ariz., and Harry 
R., of Pomona, who was born at Courtland. Helen M., who passed 
away in March, 1920, was the wife of Hon. R. F. Del Valle, of Los 
Angeles, and was very prominent in club life, especially in the activities 
of the Native Daughters of the Golden West. Mr. White died at his 
home on September 2, 1902, and his wife passed to her reward on 
December 12, 1910. 



ALBERT L. TAYLOR 

Prominent among those who, having once gazed upon the fertile, 
promising Valley of Pomona, came e\-entually to settle here, must be 
mentioned Albert L. Taylor, a resident of Grand Avenue and well 
known in Pomona social circles. He was born near Placerville, El 
Dorado County, Cal., on December 8, 1853, the son of Albert T. 
Taylor, a natix'c of ALaine, who married Mary L. Tdwle, also from 
the Lumber State. Albert T. Taylor crossed the great plains as a 
'49er, and made the last 500 miles of the journey atone and on foot, 
while his wife came arountl the Horn in a sailing \essel. For.a while 
he was in the merchandise business at Placerville, then he was a mer- 
chant in Sacramento, and then he went to Carson City, Nev., where he 
engaged in raising garden truck and small farming. Still later, he 
removed to Santa Cruz, and then to Westminster, and from there 
to Monrovia, and at the latter place he died, in 1911. 

Young Albert Taylor worked for se\-eral years at Westminster 
and 1875 passed through Pomona Valley. It was not until eight years 
later, howexer, that he located at Pomona, where for four years he 
followed well drilling, owning his own outfit. Since then he has 
engaged in house mo\ing; and as he established a reputation as a 
pioneer in that rather difficult field, it is not surprising that his territory 
extends from El Monte to Cucamonga. He has tackled a number 
of extremely difficult propositions in his time, among them being the 
moving of a two and a half story house from north of Indian Hill 
to Claremont. He also mo\ed the Iowa Hotel from Uplands to 
Ontario — the structure being used by Chaffee College for a dormitory. 
In carrying out the reconstruction work on the school building at 
Walnut, he mo\-ed it, raised it up, and built a story under it. Thus, 
during a very busy career, he has literally seen all the changes in the 
V'alley since 1883, and still he is active in the moving enterprise. 

Some years ago, Mr. Taylor bought a fifteen-acre ranch at 488 
East (irand Avenue, where he planted fruit trees and handsomely 



HISTORY AMI r.ior.RAriiv -M.^ 

developed the land. In 1912 he Imilt a line house, anil has sold all 
but about three acres, and now he has one at the choice bonus ol the 
vicinity. 

On luly 16, 1885, at Pomona, Mr. Taylor was inarricil to .Mrs. 
l-'.li/a Decker, a native of Ohio, who came to I'omona \'alley in 18S4 
with her mother, Nancy lulgar, who is still lixinjT at ninety-six years 
of age, at Campbell, near San Jose. .Mrs. Taylor dieil in July, 191 I, 
and left three children by her lirst husband, (jeorge H. Decker is in 
Los Anjrelcs; Col. C. W. Decker, practicing medicine in I.os Angeles, 
became a lieutenant-colonel in the United States .Army ami saw service 
in the hospitals of France during the late war; while a (.laughter is 
Mrs. L. F. Norton of Los Angeles, who graduated from Pomona 
College in 1901. The only child born to Mr. and Mrs. Taylor dicil 
at the age of twentv years. Mr. Taylor is a member of the Fraternal 
Aid Association. 

Mr. Taylor has been identitieil with every progressive movement 
for the benefit of the \'alley. He took and proved up a 160-acrc 
homestead in the Palo \'erde \'allev, which he still owns. 



PATRICK RIITY 

The title of pioneer is justly merited by Patrick Kiley, for he 
came to Pomona \'alley when development work here was just start- 
ing, and during his lifetime was iilentilicd with the upbuilding of both 
its water and railways, besides his individual agricultural interests. He 
was known as a man who did things; obstacles never discouraged him 
and he ga\e his strong will and \igorous acti\ities to the accom- 
plishment of whatever was at hand in pioneer labors for the future 
generations. 

Born in Cavan, Ireland, March 17, 1847, when tiftecn years of 
age Patrick Kiley came to America to seek his fortune in the new 
world. He worked in New York City, and in Philadelphia, Pa., and 
then, in 1864, came to San IVancisco, and engaged in construction 
work on the Central Pacific Railway, in the bridge building depart- 
ment; he worked north on the Sacramento (.lixision arui there became 
interesteil in mining acti\ities, anil on his return to San I-rancisco 
followeil mining speculations for a time, in one deal making $25,000, 
but as so manv did in those days, lost the amount in later speculations. 
In his railroail work he had also been engaged in the Truckee ilivision 
and in that city his marriage occurred, in April, 1878, to Kate Naglc, 
also a nati\e of Ireland, born in Tipperary. She came to the L nited 
States at the age of seventeen. 

In ISSl Mr. and .Mrs. Riley came to Pomona; before their 
arri\ al, he hail bought sixteen and one-half acres of land here on I loll 



234 HISTORY AXD lUOCRAl'IIV 

A\enue, and here the young pioneers made their home ami have h\ed 
since that early chiy, their three sons being horn on the old homestead. 
Mr. Riley set out ten acres of his land to vineyard, but later the vines 
were taken out and Na\'el oranges planted from the seed and budded, 
and after her husband's death Mrs. Riley planted the remainder of the 
orchard and they now ha\e the entire acreage in oranges, in a thriving 
and productive condition. 

During pioneer days here Mr. Riley helped to build the old 
motor railwav to North Pomona, his early experience in railway work 
making him a valuable man for that work. He was also foreman 
on the construction of early water systems in Pomona. Up to that 
time drinking water had been taken from wells dug on the ranches 
antl irrigating was done through open ditches. Mr. Riley was active 
in the Catholic Church, and In the Foresters of America; a man of 
pleasing address, always joHv and full of wit, he had many friends 
in the \"alley who mourned his passing, which occurred December 
6, 1905. His faith in the future of this section never varied and in 
the years since his tieath it has been pro\en a farsighted \ision. 

Four children blessed the union f)f Mr. and Mrs. Riley: Mrs. 
E. D. Ralls of Pomona; F.dward, a soldier in the Spanish War, now 
deceased; John; and hrancis, the two latter sons assisting their mother 
in the care of the home ranch. 



ROLLIX T. BURR, M. D. 

A Pomona physician of long experience who can summon a 
\'olume of personal reminiscence and is noted not only for his learning 
and skill, but for his many good stories of early days, is Dr. Rollin 
T. Burr, who came from Mt. Vernon, Knox County, Ohio, where he 
was born on August 10, 184.1. He was reared in Louisiana, how- 
e\-er, and in 1869 graduated with the degree of \L D. from the 
New Orleans Medical College. For two years, during his studies, he 
was interne at the New Orleans Charity Hospital. After his gradua- 
tion, tor six vears he practiced in Central Texas. Leaving there in 
pursuit of health, he rode horseback from Texas to the Colorado 
Ri\er, a distance of 1,500 miles, 1,000 miles alone, with saddle bags 
and rifle. 

In 1877 Doctor Burr passed through Pomona, going from Ari- 
zona en route to \-isit his family in Texas, and so had a good chance to 
see the now flourishing city when it was only a \illage, or perhaps rather 
a small cluster of houses and homes. The impression, however, was 
sufficiently favorable to induce him to return to Southern California, 
when he resigned Irom the .\rm\- service, to locate first in El Monte, 
until in 188.3 when he came to Pomona. He is thus the oldest doctor 
in age and point of service in Pomona \'allev, for when he located 
here there was only one house north of the railroad track. 



mST()R^■ AXi) lUoCK \l'|l\' _M5 

From the first, Doctor Burr practiced all o\er the \alley, ridinj; 
horseback with saddle hags, and as there was a dearth of drug store 
facilities, he carried with him his own medicine chest ol o\er one 
hundred \aricties, and thus became a kind of traveling ilrug store. 
Alter a while, he was appointetl by the board of supervisors town 
health officer, and in one year, during a smallpox scare, he vaccinated 
two thousand persons, never losing a life. 

In 1S98 Doctor Burr was appointed by President William 
McKinley, surgeon of the L'. S. X'oluntecrs in the Spanish-American 
War, and joined the Seventh Regiment from St. Louis, a regiment of 
immunes from the yellow fe\ er. In 1 S99 he also saw service as civilian 
surgeon in Cuba, continuing there for eight years, and accorjiplishing 
much for science ami the gooil name of America. 

It was not long before Doctor Burr's pronounced abilitv and ex- 
ceptional experience became somewhat widely known, and in 1905 he 
was sent to the Panama Canal Zone, where for four years he was dis- 
trict surgeon under General Ciorgas, and for forty-eight or fifty months 
he did not lose a day's work. This is a record of which he is and may 
justly be prouil, for those were trying times in the Canal Zone, due 
to climate and disease. 

In 1909 Doctor Burr left the Canal Zone, resigned from the serv- 
ice and for twenty-two months traveled through Jiurope, Asia and 
Africa. In 1911 he visited in Cuba, and there he remained until 1915. 
In 1917 he returned to Pomona, where he is once again in active and 
successful practice. On his retirement. Doctor Burr had the rank of a 
first lieutenant of the U. S. A. Volunteers, a status the more interesting 
because Doctor Burr was a private soldier in the First Louisiana Cav- 
alry and therefore a Confederate veteran, and one of the original mem- 
bers of the Ku Klux Klan in New Orleans. During his fourteen years 
of service for the United States Army, he never lost a day from ill 
health from the performance of his duty, and for five years, while in 
the Army, nev er had leave of absence. 

Doctor Burr, whom to know is to admire for his strong and attrac- 
tive social qualities, was twice married. His first wife, now deceased, 
was Mollie \'Irginia Adams, a native of Tennessee: and four of her 
children have surviveii. Rollin T., Jr.. lives at Tucson. Ari/... William 
H. and Flla May are in Los Angeles, and Mary Bell is Mrs. Wallace 
of Santa Ana. His second wife, whom he married in 1901 and is still 
living, was Llisa M. M. La Madri/ before her marriage, a descendant 
of a historic Spanish family. She is a grandilaughter of a famous 
Spanish-American poet, and inherits those intellectual git'ts always 
so charming in a woman. 

Doctor Burr was one of the first subscribers to the Pomona Public 
Library, anil donated a subscription for Ilarpcr's Moiillilv. The 
library was then in a small room upstairs in the Ruth Block at Third 
and .Main Streets, and the librarian was a .Mrs. ].. P. Bartlett. About 



236 HISTORY AND lIloGKArilV 

the time when Doctor Burr made this contribution toward the founding 
of one of the most beneficent institutions in Pomona, the people's great 
fountain of general knowleilge, he also invested in Pomona real estate; 
and he still hoKis some of the property he thus fortunately acquired. 



CHARLES AUGUSTUS LORBEER 

Among the residents of Pomona, Charles Augustus Lorbeer is 
held in high esteem by those who were privileged to know him during 
his lifetime. He was born in Saxony, Germany, on the Moselle 
River, on February 4, 1831. He attended the schools of his native 
country until he was fourteen and then learned the trade of cabinet 
maker. The family emigrated to the United States in 1847 and settled 
at Naumburg, Lewis County, New A'ork, where the father was a 
pioneer, having cleared the wilderness, cut down trees and built a log 
cabin for his family. 

Charles Augustus worked at the trade of cabinet making in 
Carthage, Jefferson County, N. Y., then removed to Champion, in 
the same county. He studied one year at Lowville Academy, Lewis 
County, and worked at his trade until 1854, when he migrated to 
Fulton, 111., working at his trade there until his return to New 
York state in 1859, where he followed his trade until 1863, when he 
settled at Springvale, Iowa, where his was the first family to li\e; there 
he remained until he came to Pomona to reside in 1887. While living 
in Iowa he was justice of the peace, and owned a large stone quarry; 
also built a business block and was the first to engage in the furniture 
business. He maile coflins and furniture. 

In 1855 at Dixon, III., he was united in marriage with Aurelia 
Elizabeth Wickes, a native of Lowville, Lewis County, N. Y., born 
May 3, 1834. Her father was a Congregational minister, and her 
mother was the daughter of Captain Jesse Wilcox, who served with 
distinction in the War of 1812. In the early days Miss Wickes taught 
school in Lewis County in a log schoolhouse; and she taught one 
season in Fulton, 111. She is a well-educated woman and is gifted with 
a wonderful memory. She began teaching in Sunday school when she 
was sixteen and was a Sunday school teacher in the First Methodist 
Church at Pomona for twenty-five years. She is the mother of twelve 
children, six of whom are living: Charles I., her oldest son, came 
to Pomona in 1883 and set out the trees on the ranch, which had been 
purchased by his father while on his first visit to California, in 1883. 
Charles I. was one of the founders of the Mutual Building and Loan 
Association of Pomona, and he died here on April 5, 1916. Alvin G. 
resides in Antelope Valley, Cal.; Minnie is the wife of D. S. Parker, 
manager of the Home Telephone Company of Pomona; Carrie E. is 
Mrs. Llarry J. Tremaine of Minneapolis, Minn.; Harry A. is in 



IlISTDRV AM) r.K )GKA1■1I^ _Vv 

Los Aiijj;c1l-s ami was In the employ of the I.os Angeles MIectric Kail- 
way tor o\er twenty years; I'annie is Mrs. W. [. I'lllifr „{ l,os Aiij,'eles, 
and Melvin \V. also ll\es in Los Anjj;elcs. Mrs. Lorbeer has twenty- 
two grandchiklren ami seven f^reat-fframlchiklren. 

Upon locatinji in I'omona in 1SS7, .Mr. Lorbeer settleil on his 
fourteen acres on White Avenue, which his son had planted to apricots, 
peaches, pears, apples, oranj^es ami twenty-seven varieties of plunis. 
He was very successful as a horticulturist and lived on the ranch until 
he purchased the present home place at 511 West Center Street, 
Pomona. He possessed an unusually good voice and was a tine singer 
and was very active in the L'nion Church work at Humboldt, Iowa. 
He was an abolitionist and was a naturalized citi/en, having cast 
a vote for Abraham Lincoln. He was also a strong prohibitionist. 
He died August 17, 1915, at Pomona. Mrs. Lorbeer has been 
a member of the W. C. T. f. ever since its organization. 

At a Thanksgiving party given by the Lorbeer family at Pomona 
in 1917, there were seventy-three people present, all of whom were 
descendants of this pioneer and his brother, the late John (i. Lf)rbeer. 
In 1918, because of the influenza and the war, there were only thirty- 
seven present at the annual Thanksgiving reunion, nine having gone 
into the service, and several having died. 



THLODORl. RL "IH 

One of the old and honored pioneers of the N'alley, Theodore 
Ruth has been a resident here since the first inception of a town and 
has taken part in the development and upbuilding of Pomona and 
environs. I le is a native of Delaware, born at Leipsic, July 22, 1842, 
and after living in different cities in the East, came to the West Coast 
in 1874. I-or a time he was engaged in the drug business in San 
Diego; then, in 1875. he came to Pomona, which then consistetl of one 
hotel, a livery stable, three houses, blacksmith shop, ami one saloon. 
He started a tirug and grocery store at Fifth and Garey avenues, and 
was the second merchant in Pomona, the first being James I'lgan, who 
came here from Spadra. Prospering in business. Sir. Ruth built a 
business block in town; his father. Rev. P. S. Ruth, built the first brick 
block, the Ruth Block. Theodore Ruth was appointeil postmaster by 
President Hayes, and also was agent for Wells largo Express Com- 
pany for many years, their first agent here, and in the beginning 
business was so light that he hauled the express packages to and from 
the trains in a wheelbarrow; a small fact which goes to show the 
phenomenal growth of the city in the last decaile. 

During these years of growth and expansion .Mr. Ruth has done 
his full share in furthering the advancement of the community, ami has 
watched its development with an unwavering faith in the wonderful 



238 HISTORY AND I'.K iC.RAI'llV 

possibilities in \-ic\v inv this section of Calitornia. Pomona has been 
fortunate indeed in the men who first started the march of progress 
here; in their farsightedness and unselfisli sacrifice of tlieir own ends 
for the best good of their home community. 

The marriage of Mr. Ruth united him with Margaret Faris, a 
nati\e of Ohio, on May 4, 1865, ami five children were born to them: 
Peter R., Mrs. May Reed, Mrs. IMi/abeth Hewlett, are lixing, and 
Frank and Kirby are both deceased. 



HON. J. E. McCOMAS 

Identified for forty years with the development of Pomona 
Valley and prominent not alone in Southern California, but through- 
out the State, was Senator J. E. McComas, whose sterling life and 
character will ever leave its impress on the community in whose iip- 
buikling he was so loyally interested. Mr. McComas was born in 
Cable County, Va., on May 15, 1834. His parents moved from 
there to Platte County, Mo., while he was quite young, residing there 
until his father's death, which occurred when young McComas was 
about se\enteen years of age. Soon after that he joined a cattle train 
of emigrants coming to California to seek gold, as the excitement of 
'49 continued to draw many young men to the Pacific Coast. He had 
not been in California long until he and two of his companions joined 
a Methodist Church just being organized, and throughout the remain- 
der of his life Mr. McComas was e\er loyal to the church of his 
choice. 

After a short time he left California and returned to his old home 
in Missouri, and while there, in 1860, he was denied the privilege of 
voting for Abraham Lincoln for president, as the election judge told 
him that no such candidate was recognized at the polls; if he wished 
to vote for Bell, Breckenridge or Douglas he could. He asked that 
official to excuse him and left. In 1861, when the President called 
for volunteers to preserve the L'nion, he went to Fort Leavenworth 
and asked the recruiting officer in charge for a commission to recruit 
a company for the United States Army. The officer asked, "Where 
do you want to recruit?" Young McComas replied, "In Missouri." 
"Can there be any loyal men in Missouri?" questioned the officer. 
"When we give a man a commission to recruit, we back him with the 
United States Army. We cannot do that iit Missouri. If I were to 
see you being murdered across the river in Missouri I would not dare 
to go to your relief." "I will take all the responsibility if you will 
give me the commission," McComas replied. After securing forty 
\olunteers in Missouri he started for Fort Lea\enworth, traxeling 
in great danger of being captured, but they reached there safely and 
united their fortunes with Company G, I'ifth Kansas Cavalry, W. A. 




/■ 



& '^^,l^> 



<?'>-VZ-<*^ 



II1ST( )\<\ AM) |;|( )(,|- .^, 

.Jenkins bcins captain anJ Mr. McComas, first lieutenant Thcv left 
SpnnglielJ, Mo., in May, 1862. with 900 ahle-lKulied men. and in 
October of the same year, at Helena. Ark., only 225 of this number 
could respond to the roll call. Lieut. .McCmas bein^ one of the numlnr. 
He was allowed to return home on a furlough on account of his health 
He had been married to Miss Rebecca Yount on December 1.3. I860, 
and had left her with her parents on entering the army. At the end 
of the war he again embarked with his own ami other families for 
California, takmg charge as captain of a wagon train, as on his pre- 
vious journey. On reaching California thcv lived awhile near San 
Jose and finally went to wheat raising near Modesto, where he was 
hnancially successful. He then came south antl bought a ranch at 
Compton HI 1872. In 1875 he came to l>omona and was employed 
as a land agent by the new company that had bought a large tract of 
land from Louis Phillips of Spadra, which includes the present city 
of 1 omona. .Mr. McComas helped in platting the now beautiful and 
prosperous city and from that day he never ceased to work for its best 
interests and advancement. 

Tn 1876. .Mr. McComas was bereaved of his wife and a little 
daughter. Dora, leaving one son. .f. L. .McComas. About this time 
a new schoolhousc was built containing four large rooms, but in the 
beginning there were only enough children in the district to employ 
nvo teachers. A Mr. Coleman was secured as principal and .Miss 
hmma .\L Loughrey as assistant, these two forming the whole corps 
of teachers for the new town. At that time more than two-thirds of 
the pupils were Spanish, as was the whole population. Two of the 
scliool trustees were also Spanish, the third member. .Mr. Cyrus Bur- 
dick, being chairman of the board, and it was at the home of the latter 
that Miss Loughrey boarded. The children made rapid advancement 
-n their studies, many of the Spanish children keeping pace with the 
-American children, notwithstanding the fact that they had to learn 
the Lnglish language in connection with their studies. .Mr McComas 
became very interested in the school, or rather in the young lady 
teacher. Although there was a number of years diHerence in their 
a.gcs his fine character and happy, cheerful disposition won her heart 
and hand, and at the end of the school year they were married and 
made their first home in Pomona. Both were so attracted to the won- 
derful mountain scenery, fine climate and general surroundings that 
they never expected to liye anywhere else. But h.yely Pomona was 
overtaken in her infancy with a calamity. Before water had been 
developed and piped for domestic and irrigating purposes, Pomona 
had two dry years, and on .top of that, a financial crash, that aflected 
more or less the whole Lnited States, so that the syndicate which 
ha.l bought this land found themseKes unable to sell land and deveh.n 
water under such conditions. The land reverted to the original owner 
and upon his declaration that he would make the site of I'omona a 



:-14 IllSToRV AM) moGKAriiv 

sheep pasture, Mr. McComas disposed of their comfortable little 
home at Fifth and Main for much less than it cost and went to live on 
the Compton ranch again. That climate was so detrimental to Mrs. 
McComas' health, however, that she could not live there, and Mr. 
McComas also found it very difficult to get ahead financially. Hear- 
ing of more fa\orablc coiiditions in Arizona he went there and lltted 
out some freight wagons to run between Benson and Tombstone, for 
his son, Lane, to manage. His wife taught the village school and 
he jiractlced law, but in that dry climate it was \ery expensi\e to keep 
up teams and wagons, and family li\ing was also exceetlingly high. 
Although Mrs. McComas had secureti a first-grade territorial tliploma 
for six years, her health gave out so completely that they were obliged 
to return to California, and after living for awhile in Los Angeles 
they went back on the Compton ranch. By this time a new syndicate 
had purchased the land on which Pomona is situated and immediately 
developed and piped water there and Pomona once again began to 
appear on the map, for new houses started up in all directions. 

At the earnest solicitation of his wife, aided by putting in all her 
earnings from school teaching, Mr. McComas had previously pur- 
chased twenty-five acres on Holt Avenue (on a part of which is still 
the family home) and they now decided to return and link their des- 
tinies with Pomona for life. They moved into an old house on South 
Main Street, where they lived for two years. Li 1885 they built the 
best residence on Holt Avenue on their land there and went to ranch- 
ing, putting out various kinds of fruit trees. However, the little town 
grew so fast that they soon began to sell off land. The first ten acres 
Mr. McComas sold to Mr. Penny, his partner in the real estate busi- 
ness, for $175 an acre. His wife insisted on waiting for a higher 
price, but Mr. McComas said that there would never be anything but 
ranches on Holt Avenue and $175 an acre was all that a man could 
afford to pay for a ranch. It was not a month, howe\er, until he 
refused $250 an acre for another ten acres. A few years later a boom 
came, and he was offered $1,000 an acre, and he parted with it with 
some twinge of conscience, but the syndicate that bought it platted it 
and in less than two months cleared up about $2,000 an acre on it. 

Mr. McComas built the first brick block on the corner of Main 
and Second, and later a smaller one on the corner of First and Thomas; 
also a brick livery stable on First Street, which he later gave to his 
son Lane for a wedding present. It is truthfully said of him that not 
much more than half his time and money was spent for his own needs. 
His wife ably assisteil him in putting in her own efforts and resources, 
thus enabling him to gi\e more largely to the church, the temperance 
cause and other good works in which he had a vital interest. He put 
in much time and was very successful in getting pensions for old sol- 
diers and tor the widows of \eterans. So much of his time and re- 
sources were devoted to public work that it was mutually arranged 



iiiSToKV AM) i;i( )(•,k.\^lI^■ _m5 

between himself and his wife that she look more after the interests 
of the home, being in closer touch with its needs. So in 1907 she 
planned and had built with her own resources their beautiful home at 
219 West Molt Avenue. Their two daughters and one son were now 
college graduates and Jitted to take up their own life work. It also 
devolved upon Mrs. McComas to assist her mother in the care and 
education of her younger brothers and sisters. 

In "Pen Portraits of Pomona People," these few extracts are 
given of Senator McComas and his family: "Mr. McComas has had 

a large share In every movement for the upbuiliiing of our city 

Industrial, moral and commercial. Beginning with Pomona as a sheep 
range in 1876, his Influence and money has helped to build e\ery 
church and schoolhouse. He organized and established Methodism 
and has been a devout member of that church e\cr since. Me gave 
the land on which the present church stands, having helped to build 
and enlarge it four ditterent times. Me put Methodism In power In 
the \'alley and maintained It as long as he lived. Me was one of four 
to found Odd P'ellowship, and was the founder of the Good Templars. 
He was one of five who founded the First National Bank. Me was 
one of three who founded the first board of trade. Me conducted the 
first campaign, assisted by the W. C. T. U. and others, for the first 
Prohibition ordinance. Me threw himself heart and soul Into this 
\york and gave largely of his time and money. Me suffered villifica- 
tion and Insults In this work, but he never let' up until the prohibition 
clause was incorporated In the city charter In 1911. In 1 888 he was 
elected first Republican State Senator from this district. Me intro- 
duced and labored for the first division of Los Angeles County. lie 
landed the Orange County bill and almost landed the Pomona County 
bdl. Me had the age of consent raised from ten to fourteen years. 
He Introduced the first bill for woman suffrage. Me served his four 
years as State Senator, but refused any further nomination on the 
Republican ticket, and became an ardent Prohibitionist, later being 
nominatcil on the State Prf)hibItion ticket for governor." 

An extract from a Prohibition paper says: ".Mr. .McComas 
says he cannot as a conscientious Christian act any longer with the 
Republicans, who are under rum rule and power. Senator McComas, 
as he is popularly known by nearly every one in the southern counties! 
will be a valuable accession to the Prohibition partv. He has for 
years been one of the foremost Republicans of the State and had 
always been known as an extreme anti-saloon Republican. When in 
the Legislature his voice and vote were always exercised In the inter- 
ests of temperance, equal suffrage and good government. It has long 
been expected that his place would Inevitably be In the onlv party which 
really represented his principles. That time has now come, and It is 
the beginning of a break that will lead hosts of other good men out 
of the rum-ruled parties Into the Prohibition ranks. 



246 lllST()[n' WD lUOCRAl'IlV 

"In iiKiking mention of the manly stand taken by Senator Mc- 
Comas for the cause of Prohibition and rij^ht, it would surely he 
amiss not to mention the name of his estimable co-worker and wife, 
Mrs. Emma McComas, one of the most able and loyal Prohibition 
workers in the southern part of the State, and to whose potent influ- 
ence no doubt is due, in a great measure, the stanch and unfaltering 
stand the Senator has always taken for the right. In addition to her 
social and domestic duties she is active in the work of the church, and 
a leader in' the work of the W. C. T. U., having served seven years 
as president, and four years as treasurer, this organization being a 
chief factor in making Pomona free from the destructive influence of 
the saloon. 

"Although a de\'Oted and congenial wife, she has had large 
business and realty interests of her own, which she looks after with a 
degree of tact ami skill rarely found in either men or women. She 
presides o\er her lovely home, one of the best appointed and best 
located in the beautiful city of Pomona, with charming dignity, that 
is entirely free from ostentation oi- garish display. Her daughters, 
Maude and Ethel, combine In their persons those charms of character 
and culture for which the yoimg ladles of Pomona are justly famous. 
Her son, Kush, has won all the medals gh'en by Demorest Medal 
Contests, and is naturally gifted In oratory, and It Is expected that he 
will follow In his father's footsteps, by giving his life to the best Inter- 
ests of mankini.1. Tiie Senator is well preserved in mind and body, and 
a man of exceptional value in the upbuilding of a community to Its 
best — socially, materially and spiritually. The evidence of his earnest 
Christian life is the enduring monument at Third and Ciortlon Streets. 
He was a strong factor in making the JVIethodlst Church one of the 
most potent influences on the moral and religious progress of the Ideal 
city of J'omona." 

These unsolicited and unexpected encomiums from the public 
press were highly appreciated by Mr. and Mrs. McComas and In- 
creased their zeal for the work to which they had both gi\en freely 
of their time anil monew When Pomona could boast of a population 
of 500 she also had the disgrace of ha\ing seventeen saloons, and as 
Is always the case where saloons exist, there was a strong sentiment 
in their fa\or. The fight for temperance was long and hard, but It 
was a "Cildeon Band" of Godfearing men and women who sakl, "By 
(joil's help, the saloon must be banished from beautiful_ Pomona." 
And In due time their efforts were rewarded. This was a great joy 
and comfort to Senator McComas in his declining years. He had 
many able helpers In temperance and church work who are richly 
entitled to ha\e their life work recorded in this "Pioneer Book." One 
of his closest friends and helpers (afterwanl his brother-in-law) was 
J. M. Mitchell. At one time Mr. Mitchell gave *5,000, which made 
it possible for the First Methodist Church to builil its last addition 



MISTORV AM) l!|( )('.F^\nlV 247 

to accommodate the needs ot tlie rapidly growing Sunday school. He 
had previously given a farm back East to endow a college and, not- 
withstanding his generosity, left an estate of $200,000. Only time 
will reveal the influence of such lives on the oncoming generations of 
young men and women, and many have already expressed themselves 
in words of deep gratitude for the helpful and uplifting example and 
influence ol these noble characters on their own. 

Senator McComas being gifted in speaking, he was called upon in 
all the Prohibition campaigns. He did this with telling effect and 
made many converts to the Prohibition cause, all up and down the 
Coast, and lived to see victory proclaimed in "California dry." 

On the evening of November 14, 1916, Senator .McComas re- 
tired at his usual hour with no sign or word of illness, and while the 
family slept he peacefully passed away, closing his eves on earthly 
scenes but leaving behind him the rich legacy of a life full of good 
deeds which will ever enrich those who were so fortunate as to come 
within the sphere of his benign influence. 

The following resolutions express the regard and affection in 
which Pomona people held him: 

"The quarterly conference of the First Methodist Church, at its 
session Monday evening, Xo\ember 20, appointed the undersigneii 
to express to you and all the members of your family the sincere-grief 
that the entire church feels at the departure of our Brother McComas. 
The church owes him such a debt of gratitude for his long and faithful 
service as it never has owed, and probably never will again owe, to 
any other person. In a \ery important sense he was its founder, and 
he has been the constant and efficient promoter of all its enterprises, 
ever since. In him this church has had an exponent ami representative 
who deser\eil and has had the respect of the entire community. 

"Now that he has been called away, we feel deeply bereaved, ami 
sympathize with you and all your family in your loneliness, but our 
grief is tempered by the consideration that our loss is his gain. There 
is no despair in our sorrow, for we are sure that this gooil man has 
gone to his well-earned reward. And we congratulate you. as well 
as ourselves, on the fact that God gave him to us as a companion in 
the journey of life and service of Christ. 

Frank B. C()\\(;ii.i., Pastor, 
A. B. Avis, 
C. C. C WKS." 

"Whereas to the Pomona \V. C. T. U. has come the titlings of 
the sudden ileparture from this life of our much-esteemed brother. 
Ex-Senator McComas, on November 14. 1916, 

"Theretf)re. Resolved. That as a Union we have lost one who 
has been a tower of strength to us in all our struggle for a clean town 
and in destroying the liquor traffic. Always a loyal, upright citizen 



248 TllSToRN' AND lUoCRAl'l I V 

from pioneer days; a sympathetic friend; an earnest Christian, rarely 
missing the weekly prayer meetings; always ready to aitl in everything 
that would help establish righteousness in the city, state or nation. 
While wc shall ever cherish his memory, in being thankful to the Dear 
Father he loved, for the beneficial influence of his noble life among 
lis and for the gentle manner ot taking him home without pain or 
suffering. 

"To our belo\cd sister, Mrs. Emma McComas anil her dear 
family we do express our sincere affection, knowing well that they 
have the great comfort, that in the life beyond they may be a reunited 
family in the heavenly home, where parting can never come. 

Miss E. E. Micklin, 
Mrs. Earl, 
Mrs. H. W. Bowen, 
Mrs. Emma Edwards, 
Mrs. Eliza Stevens, 
Mrs. C. a. Lorbeer, 
Mrs. Ella Reed." 

On January 11, 1912, Miss Ethel McComas was united in mar- 
riage with Sidney J. Turney, and Mrs. McComas' only grandchikl, 
Ward McComas lurney, was born about a year later. His picture 
appears with his grandmother In this work. 



F. Dl-: WITT CRANK, M. D. 

An eminent practitioner ot mcilicine who lor thiry-H\x' years has 
safeguarded the health, and alleviated the pain and, therefore, the 
sorrows of many, M'itncssing the great human ilrama in the develop- 
ment of Pomona from its unpretentious beginnings, is V. De Witt 
Crank, M.D. Born at Geneseo, N. Y., on October 19, 1859; when 
four years of age he accompanied his folks to Ohio, then to Knoxville, 
Tenn., and back again to Ohio and the city of Cincinnati. Finally, in 
the memorable Centennial year, when California was making her best 
bow at Philadelphia to the Nation and thousands were thinking for 
the first time of the Pacific Coast, the father and two sons, Hon. J. F. 
and V. De Witt, came to Pasadena. The father, James D., and Anna 
P'.li/.abeth (Dake) Crank, were both born in New York. On arriving 
in California, J. 1*'. Crank bought the Fair Oaks Rancho, and there 
engaged in orange and grape growing; but when 1". De Witt was 
convinced that he was not interested in fruit culture, he determined 
to enter an altogether tlifferent fiekl. 

He returned East In 1S79 and took up the stutly of medicine at 
the Jefferson Medical College of I'hiladcliihia and later he continued 
at the Pulte Medical College of Cincinnati. Ha\'ing finished his 
courses with honors, he returned to California in the sjirlng ol 1SS4. 



iiis'r( »R^■ AM) I'.K H'.RAi'in- .mm 

and the same year lotatetl at Los Angeles for one year, then came 
to Pomona, where he has since followeil his profession, increasing in 
popularity as his power ot iliaj^nosis and surgical skill became known. 

In 1 SS7, the year of the Calilornia lioom. Doctor Crank liou^ht a 
corner lot on Garey Avenue north of the Southern I'acitic Railway, anti 
there erected his home. There were only two houses north of the track 
at that time. When Pomona was incorporated. Doctor Crank ser\ed 
for two years as its lirst health officer, and for years he has heen a 
member of the County. State and American Medical Associations, in 
which socic'ties his scholarship, experience and personality count lor 
the most progressive trends. 

While at Pasadena, Doctor Crank was married to Miss Jessie 
Baniiury, a nati\e of Iowa, ami the ilaughter of Jabe/. Banbury, who 
brou).;ht his family to what was known as the Imliana Colony, now 
Pasadena, in 1872. and built the first dwellinfi; house there. Iwo 
daughters have been born to bless this union: One is Y\()nne, an 
assistant librarian in the Los Angeles Public Library, and l.ima, a 
physical director of the PoiTiona schools. Ihe former is a graduate 
of Pomona College, and the latter of the Cumnock anil Los Angeles 
Xt)rmal Schools and the L ni\ersity of California at Berkeley. Doctor 
Crank's fraternal associations are limited to the Knights of I-'ythias. 
but with a fortunate temperament in which more than one "touch of 
nature" is easily detected, he finds "the whole worUI kin." 



NATILW L. STRONG 

Among the pioneers ot I'oniona of the early eighties. mentif)n is 
made of Nathan E. Strong, who settled here with his family in ISS5 
after ha\ing spent some time in looking o\er Southern California in 
search of a favorable location, and finally selecting Pomona. Ihis 
was then a small hamlet and but few orange gro\es had been planted, 
in fact but little development was in evidence in the entire N'allev. I le 
bought a five-acre tract on West Holt Avenue, set out trees and for 
many years devoted his time to orange growing and met with success. 
The place was later subdivided into building lots, but the family still 
occupy the home into which they first moved. Here Mr. Strong now 
lives retired in the enjoyment of a well-earned rest from active labors. 

Nathan L. Strong was born in Madison County, Ohio, in IS.^.^, 
and received his education in the public schools there. He entered 
upon the study of pharmacy in a \<)ca\ tlrug store and thereafter fol- 
lowed that profession for many years. He spent some time in 
Colorado, then was in Waseca, Minn., where for years he was prf)mi- 
ncnt in politics as well as in business circles, serving as a county official 
with satisfaction and efficiency. On account of the rigorous climate 
he came to California to make his home. 

.Mr. Strong has been twice married. lie hail a son, Henrv 



250 lllSTom' AM) I'.K X'.RAI'IIY 

Stroll}^, In his hrst wife, who after reaching manhood was an employee 
for years of a bank in Waseca. He located in Pomona and engaged 
in the furniture business with A. G. Lorbeer, later succeeding to the 
entire business, and remained active until ill health necessitated his 
selling out. He di£d in 1907 at the age of fifty-two. The second 
marriage united Mr. Strong with Mrs. Sarah L. (Ide) Smith, and 
they were blessed with a son, G. Wilford, who was identified with 
P(jmona's business circles for twelve years before he returned to 
Minnesota, and is now located at Waseca. By her first husband Mrs. 
Strong had a daughter, now Mrs. H. Irene Alden, who makes her 
home with her parents. Mrs. Strong is well known in Pomona, where 
she taught china and oil painting for twenty-fi\-e years. She is a woman 
of culture anil refinement and with her family is esteemed by a wide 
circle of friends in Pomona. 



JOSEPH RELTON GARTHSIDE 

A pioneer who came to Pomona in the Centennial year of 1876 
was the late Joseph Helton Garthside, whose widow recalls many an 
interesting detail of the life here in early days. He was born at Utica, 
N. Y., on April 20, 1846, the son of Richard G. and Isabella (Helton) 
(iarthside, nati\es of England; and representatives of some of the 
best stock that e\er migratetl to this country. The father came to 
the United States in 1840, and located at Utica, where he plied his 
trade of carpenter. Joseph, in course of time, learned the trade of 
carpenter and builder, and what is more, working under the direction 
of his father, he learneil it wv]]. In 1S7.1 he moved as far west as 
Marshalltown, Iowa. 

Three years later he came out to California and located at 
Pomona, where he bought fi\e acres of land on East Holt Avenue, 
built a cottage and otherwise improved the property. In 1880 he 
bought fi\e acres more, and went in for orange culture; later he 
bought ten acres on Laurel Avenue, and such was his obser\ant nature 
aiitl his enterprise, that he and C. E. White became the first men to 
jilant Navel orange buds in the Pomona district. 

In 1886 Mr. Garthside sold fi\'e acres of his holdings, and later 
he disposed of the remainder. Then he went in for contracting and 
building in the Valley, and he erected many homes and edifices, among 
them the I^'piscopal Church in Pomona. Afterward he followed the 
insurance business, and for four years ser\-ed as City Clerk of Po- 
mona, and for years \\as superintendent of the Pomona Cemetery 
Association. He bought and sold other orange ranches, and promoted 
the de\elopment of city and valley in e\ery way that he could. Then, 
honored by all for his high degree of public spirit and fidelity to duty, 
he passed away on December 16, 1910, an active member of the 
Episcopal Church until his ileath. He also belonged to the Odd Fel- 



HISTORY AM) lUoC.RAl'IIN' _'5.? 

lows, in which he was Past (jrand, was a thirtA-sccond degree Scottish 
Kite Mason, holding membership in Pomona Lodge No. 246, I". &" 
A. M., of which he was Past Master; Pomona Commandery, K. I ., 
anil the Shrine in Los Angeles; antl he belonged to the l.astern Star, 
of which he was Past Patron. 

At Deerlield, \. V., on December 27, 1869, .Mr. Garthside mar- 
rleil NLiry E. Lewis, daughter of Kees and Jane (Jones) Lewis, both 
natixes of Wales, but who were brought to America when children. 
NLiry E. was herself born at Decrfield, X. Y. She was active iti the 
Rebekahs, of which she is a charter member antl is a past matron of 
the I'.astern Star, aiui belongs to the Episcopal Church; ami like her 
revered husband, she is public spirited and naturally interested in the 
preservation of the annals of Pomona \'aliey. To such a history she 
might easily contribute somethmg of \aluc, tor she tells of the da\s 
when one read by candle light, when there were no roads, and when 
the settler shared the great, open plains with the wild antelope. So 
early did the\' pitch their tent here that their house was the fourth 
home on Holt Avenue. 



I-I)\\\RI) J. II.IMINC, 

A worthy representati\ e of the bar of California, Fldwani J. 
Fleming has risen to a place of prominence in the legal profession 
through his own abilities. 

He was born March 28, 1872, at Cambridge, .Mass., and is the 
son of Peter and Margaret (Coleman) Fleming. The family moved 
to Spadra, Cal., in 1875, when Edward was but three years of age. 
He received his education in the public schools of Los Angeles Count}', 
attended Pomona College and studied law in the office of P. C. Ton- 
ner at Pomona. In 1894 he was admitted to the California bar. and 
later to practice in the United States Circuit and District Courts of 
Southern California, and the United States Circuit Court of Appeal. 
F- rom 1894-1897 he was a member of the firm of 'Fonner and I'lcming 
at Pomona, and from 1899 to 1901 was city attorney of Pomona. In 
1902 he removed to Los Angeles, and from that time to 1907 was 
Deputy District Attorney of Los Angeles County, and during 1908 
and 1909 was Prosecuting Attorney of Los Angeles City. From 1910 
to 1912 he was a member of the tirm of I'leming and Bennett. Since 
then he has practiceil his profession in the city of Los Angeles. 

His marriage with .Miss Gertrude Dennis was solemnized March 
27, 1898, and they reside at 148 South Mariposa .Avenue. Los Angeles. 
.Mr. I-leming's business office is in the 1 1. \V. I K-llman building. 

Iratcrnallv he is associated with the Masonic fraternity, the 
Knights ot Pythias, ami the Maccabees: ami is a member of the Los 
Angeles Bar Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the Union 
League and the City Clubs. In his politics he is a stanch Republican- 



14 



254 HISTORY AND I'.IOGRAPHY 

FRANK PARKHUKST BRACKETT, A.M. 

Coming to Pomona in January, 1888, to prepare a class of 
students for the opening of Pomona College, Prof. Frank Parkhiirst 
Brackett has been continuously identilied with the development of this 
institution, whose growth antl inHuence has steadily increased year 
by year. 

A native of the Bay State, Professor Brackett was born June 16, 
1865, at Provincetown, Mass. He comes of a family of educators, 
his father, S. H. Brackett, a graduate of Harvard in 1862, being for 
twenty-five years a teacher of science in St. Johnsbury Academy (Ver- 
mont), and his mother, Mary A. (Thomas) Brackett, a native of 
Maine, was a teacher in Cambridge, Mass., before her marriage. In 
addition to his scholastic work, S. VI. Brackett invented and built scien- 
tific apparatus used in schools and colleges. 

Professor Brackett began his career in early life as a district 
school teacher in New Hampshire, then going to St. Johnsbury Acad- 
emy as teacher of algebra; later he was principal of Phillips Academy 
at Dan\ille, Vt., and acting principal of Caledonia Academy at Pel- 
ham, Vt. These positions were held previous to his graduation from 
Dartmouth College in 1887, and where, three years later, in 1890, he 
recei\etl his A.M. degree. In 1887, Professor Brackett came to Los 
Angeles as instructor in McPherron Academy. It was while engaged 
there that he was invited by Dr. C. B. Sumner to come to Pomona and 
begin the preparatory work for the first group of students who would 
enter Pomona College. Accordingly, the first of January, 1888, 
Professor Brackett opened the work with about a dozen students in 
the chapel of Pilgrim Church, and this class, with a few additions, was 
prepared, during the next six months, for the formal opening of the 
college, which occurred September 12, 1888. In 1890, when the col- 
lege entered upon its collegiate work, Mr. Brackett was elected to a 
professorship in mathematics. At the completion of Pomona College 
Obser\atory, in 1911, Professor Brackett was made director, and since 
then much of his time has been given to the de\'elopment of this work. 
In 191 1 he was a member of the Smithsonian Astronomical Expedi- 
tion to Algeria and in 1913 of the Expedition to Mt. Whitney. In 
1918, during the great solar eclipse, he was a member of the Mt. 
Wilson Observatory Eclipse Expedition to Cireen River, Wyo. Pro- 
fessor Brackett is editor of the "Publication of the Astronomical 
Society of Pomona College," which brings to the college valuable 
exchanges from other obser\atories throughout the world. 

In 1916 Professor Brackett was appointed American delegate on 
the Commission for Relief in Belgium. He remained there for six 
months in the relief work in the province of Brabant, with headquar- 
ters at Brussels. ( );i his return home, after the entrance of America 




s^^^^jd^z^a^ 



~> 



IIISTORN' AMI IIIOGRAI'IIV J.v 

into the war, he t(i(ik up the work, of secretary ot the Local l.xemption 
Boarii No. 2. ser\inj; until the close of the war. 

Ill pohtics Professor Brackett is an Indepemient Republican, ^i\- 
injr his support to the best men and measures, especially in local af- 
fairs, lie is a member of the University Club of Los Angeles, Phi 
Beta Kappa, and numerous national mathematical and scientific socie- 
ties. He was an i ionorarv Fellow of Clark I'niversitv in I9()2 and 
1903. 

On August 15, 18S9, I'rofessor Brackett was unitcil in marriage 
with NLiss Lucretia Burdick. tlaughter ot Cyrus Burtlick, I'omona's 
honored pioneer citizen. I he story of the Bunlick family and their 
intimate connection with the early days of Pomona is given in Chapter 
Four of the historical section of this \olume, Professor Brackett ha\- 
ing prepared this history, in collaboration with Mrs. Brackett. Pro- 
fessor and Mrs. Brackett have two sons — Frederick Sumner and Frank 
Parkhurst, Jr. Frederick Sumner Brackett was married in 1918 to 
Miss Agnes Leek, both being graduates of Pomona College. After 
serving for a year in the Bureau of Standards at Washington, D. C, 
Frederick S. Brackett is now stationed at Mt. Wilson Obscrvatorv. 



COL. GFORGE HFATFI 

One of the early pioneers of California, and among the very first 
settlers in the Pomona \'alley. Col. Cieorge Fleath lived here through- 
out the decade of wonderful ad\ancement for this section of the ecjually 
womlerful mother state, and during that time took an active part in 
the development work which has made the Valley a veritable "land 
of milk and honey." Fie was born near Batavia, X. Y., October 9, 
1828, anil when but a lad of ten years the family moved to Michigan, 
where they settled on a farm near Flint. 

In 1852 Colonel Heath made his first trip to California, cross- 
ing the plains by ox teams, and returned Fast via Panama: he made 
two or three trips before finally settling in the West, and mined for 
a time at Yuba City, for gold, and he also had silver mining interests 
in the state. He decided to devote his time to agricultural develop- 
ment, however, and in 1878 settled in the Pomona \'alley, and bought 
a 100-acre ranch on the site of Lordsburg, now the thriving city of 
La Verne. After his marriage, in 1879, which united him with Fmma 
A. Colvin, born in Oakland County, Mich., Colonel Heath brought 
his young wife to his ranch and began farming operations. A Mr. 
J. W. lirim and Mr. Cioodhue had also bought 100 acres each, and 
later he bought Mr. Brim's hoUIings and farmed the 200 acres. He 
fenced the lanti, putting up the first barbed wire fence in the \'allev: 
built his home ami barns, and windmill, anil farmed to barlev and 
wheat. In 1881 he planted a family orchard of 100 trees. In April, 



258 iiiSToin- A\n ^.I()^.RAI'lI^■ 

1887, when the Santa l-"e Kaihvay built their road throuf^h, Colonel 
Heath sold his ranch to the Townsite Impro\ement Company for a 
good price; and also gave to them a long strip of ten acres through 
his property, and a depot was built on this part, with sidetrack for 
grain shipments. The railway built their road through his ranch, and 
after its sale Colonel Heath moved to Pomona, where he retired from 
active work. He was later appointed councilman to till out an unex- 
pired term. I hough never seeking office he held himself at all times 
in readiness to give of his time and substantial help toward advancing 
the best interests of his district and was recognized as a man of wise 
counsel and efficient execution. His passing, on August 29, 1901, 
was sincerely mourned by his devoted family and many friends in 
the Valley, who held him in high esteem. 

Four children blessed the marriage of Colonel and Mrs. Fleath: 
Mary Emma, wife of Maurice E. Ludden of Pomona and the mother 
of one son, Richard; George L. of Pomona; Ella, wife of Preci A. 
Link of Claremont; and Lieut. Colvin E., graduate of Pomona Col- 
lege and a member of the Twelfth Infantry, Co. E, U. S. A. The 
Heaths are one of the representati\e pioneer families of the Vallev 
and ha\-e taken their place as such in the life of the community. Mrs. 
Heath is a member of .the Eastern Star and the l^bell Club, and in 
religious faith she joins with the Methodist Church. 



ANDREW AND GEORGE OSGOODBY 

John ( )sgt)oi.lby, father of Antirew and (jeorge, was born in 
Lincolnshire, I'.ngland, in 1819, a son of Harrison and Ann (Hannah) 
Osgoodby, both natives of England. The family emigrated to America 
in 1827, and located in Monroe County, N. Y., and there John was 
reared and schooled and followed farming for a vocation and also kept 
a store for a few years. He married Mary Ann Dagworthy, who was 
born in Dexonshire, England, in 1827, and they followed farming in 
New \'()rk state until 1865, when they mo\-ed to Cass County, Mo., 
and engageil in farming there for about three years. In 1868 they 
removed to iVIiami County, Kans., there also engaging in farming 
and stock raising. 

Feeling the call of the West, in 1877 they came to California, 
first locating in San CJabriel, and in 1878 moved to a point two miles 
south of Pomona, where they purchasetl from Louis Phillips forty 
acres of land, and this property they cultivated until 1884. That 
year, with his son George, John Osgoodby purchased fortv acres west 
of I'oinona, anil planted it to fruit antl \ines. In 1887 the increasing 
demand for residence property intluced him to sell, and the tract was 
subdivideil and sold, being known as the Lemar Tract. A man of 
sterling charactei-, Joim ( )sgoodby was a deacon In the Baptist Church 
and aided In e\ery gooil cause toi- the advancement of Pomona dis- 



IIISTi )R^• \.\l) I'.IOC.RAI'IIV 2.v» 

trict, which he wiitchcd jjjrow Irotn the small bcjiinninf); of ten houses, 
tlic nucleus ot the present city when he arriveil ami settled here. 1 le 
passed to his rewanl January 6, 19118, at the \enerable ajje ol eij^htv- 
nine, active up to the time ot his death. His wife ilietl July 4, 19(l.V 

Three sons and one daufijhter were born to John and Ann 
Osgoodby, George; Andrew; L.ucy A., who ilied in 1877, aged seven- 
teen years; anil Harrison, who died in Missouri at two years of age. 
Andrew, born near Rochester, in .Monroe County, \. Y., November 
27, 1855. was the first of the family to come to California, making 
the journey in 187.^, ami locating for a time in .Merced. He rcturnetl 
Mast that same year, to come back with the family in 1877. On their 
arrival Antlrcw found employment in the distillery of a San Gabriel 
vineyard, ami later was associateil with his father in fruit raising. At 
present the two brothers own ten acres on Sixth and White axenues, 
which they planted to apricots and walnuts, both producing line crops. 

George Osgoodby was born in Monroe County, X. Y., July 4, 
1853, and received a good education, being a student at William 
Je\vell College, at Liberty, Mo., and later studied to be a teacher. In 
187.3 he came to California with his brother, remaineil about three 
months, then returned home and with the family came back to Cali- 
fornia in 1877 and associated with his brother in Pomona's fruit 
colony. His marriage united him with Mary F. Rhoades, a native 
of Illinois, and daughter of Silas C. and Ann (Quincy) Rhoades, and 
three children blessed their union, Charles of Pasadena and Ethel 
and John Logan, deceased. Mrs. Osgoodby died about 1909. 

The brothers plowed up the raw land, set out vines and trees, and 
with pride have watched the county grow to its present prosperous 
condition. They sold their land to a syndicate and it was platted. The 
ten acres they now have was originally their father's, but they ha\e 
developed it. Always active Republicans, and attending con\ entions 
at different times, interested in good schools and good government, they 
have exerted an influence in the community. They became owners of 
145 acres of land, the heailgates of the present water supply system 
of the Valley, and this they sold to the Pomona \'alley Protective 
Association. This controls the flood waters of San Antonio Canyon. 
When they settled here there was a primitive Indian rancheria where 
Ganesha Park now is. The brothers raised corn on their forty acres 
and hauled it to San Bernardino, their nearest market. 



WILLIA.M PLUSH 

Of French descent, William Plush has been prominent both in 
the Fastern states, where he followed agriculture on a large scale, and 
in California, where he has made horticulture his occupation, and has 
become a part of the increasing growth and prosperity of Pomona 
\allcy. Progressive and keenly alive to the advancement of the times. 



260 HISTORY AND IJlOCRAPIIY 

he 1ms made a place for himself in the community which he chose for 
his home because of its line climate and splendid educational iacilities, 
as well as its opportunities for a man of energy and business acumen. 

William Plush was born in Linn County, Mo., December 25, 
1866, on the home farm there, and received his education in the 
country schools of that district. When still a boy he was taken to 
Kansas, and he later started to farm in that state, first as a renter, and 
later owned and operated one of the best farms in Kingman County, 
raising grain and stock, and meeting with splendid success. During 
his years of residence in Kansas he was active in the civic and educa- 
tional advancement of his section of the state, and served on the school 
board in two different districts, also served three terms as township 
assessor. He was a member of the Odd Fellows' Lodge there, and 
nimibered his friends by the score. 

In 1904, the ill health of his wife induced Mr. Plush to seek a 
milder climate, and he sold eighty acres of his holdings in the I^ast 
and turned his face toward California. He spent the first five years 
in different parts of the state, looking for a suitable place to settle, 
and finally decided that the Pomona Valley offered the greatest induce- 
ments. In 1910 he made his permanent location here, bought an eight- 
acre apricot orchard at 440 East Phillips Boulevard, and joined the 
ranks of the prosperous horticulturists in the Valley. His ranch was 
somewhat run down at the time of his purchase of the property, anti 
he at once set to work to bring it to a high state of cultivation, until 
it is now one of the best-kept orchards in the \'alley. He erected a 
windmill for water for domestic use; put in cement curbing along the 
front of his ranch; planted more fruit trees and a number of flowers 
and shade trees; installed a cement flume for irrigation purposes; 
walnut trees which he planted for a border are now producing good 
crops, also peach trees and a family orchard. Mr. Plush keeps the 
land in the best of condition and has raised as high as ele\en tons of 
apricots; he aims to average eight tons yearly, working for a uniform 
yield. Three lemon trees on his ranch are exceptionally large pro- 
ducers also; from two pickings he has taken twenty-three boxes of the 
fruit. All showing the results possible from expert care and methods 
in the \'alley. 

The marriage of Mr. Plush united him with Sadie Cheatum, a 
nati\e of Missoin-i, and two sons ha\e blessed their union: Virgil R. 
died at the age of twenty-one. He had located in Calexico, Imperial 
Valley, and became a department manager in Varny Bros.' General 
Store there, one of the rising voung business men of Calexico at the time 
of his death; the second son, Lieut. Lewis C. Plush, made a name for 
himself in the aviation department of the United States Army during 
the recent World War; he was a graduate of Pomona College, class 
of 1917, and soon after he enlisted as an a\iator, and for fifteen 





y 



^. 



Ja/m:j 



rnSTORV AND r.IOGRAl'IIV 2G?, 

months diii brilliant service for his country. He recei\ed his training 
in the aviation school in France, and drove one of the "Spad" ma- 
chines over the battlefields of France, made a splendid record ami has 
two German planes to his credit; his family and people of Pomona arc 
justly proud of him. On his return, February 21, 1919, Lieutenant 
Plush gave a number of addresses on his experiences and the thrilling 
sights he saw while in the air ser\ice; he also brought back a number 
of souvenirs and many pictures he took while in the service. 
Xo praise is too high for these valiant defenders of our Hag and 
liberty, and their records show the sturdy stock from which they 
have descended. 



lllAin' II. WIFLIAALS 

The rich returns yielded by California's fertile soil has brought 
residents from all states of the Union to her environment, who have 
made homes and acquired competencies in the occupation of horticul- 
ture. Among these the late Henry H. Williams was well known to 
many of the residents of Pomona Valley. He was born in Miami 
County, Ohio, and when twenty-one years of age remo\ed to Tama 
County, Iowa, where he engaged in farming a 200-acre farm. He 
was a veteran of the Civil War and served in Company (J. of the 
Fourteenth Iowa Infantry under Col. W. T. Shaw of the Sixteenth 
Army Corps under Genera! Cirant. He took part in thirteen battles 
while in service, among them the battles of Shiloh, Donaldson and 
Pleasant Hill. He was taken prisoner at Shiloh and confined in four 
different prisons, viz., Memphis. Mobile, Cabala and .Macon. lie 
was mustered out of service November 8, 1864, at Davenport, Iowa, 
and afterwards went to Belle Plaine, Benton County, Iowa, and fol- 
lowed the occupation of farming. He was a merchant in Belle Plaine 
for eight years and was a member of the I. O. O. I', and also of the 
G. A. K. Post in that city. In 188.? he came to Pomona, Cal.. and 
purchased fifteen acres of unimproved land, a part of the Hixon 
ranch, at the corner of San Antonio and San Bernardino avenues. 
He planted an orange orchard, developed water by sinking an artesian 
well, installed a pumping plant and piped the water to his laml, which 
he brought to a high state of cultivation and which yickied a rich 
return for his investment and the labor bestowed upon it. 

Mr. Williams married Caroline H. Prill, a native of Ohio, by 
whom he had two daughters. Dilla, is now Mrs. Bailey of Los An- 
geles, Cal., and is the mother of tAvo sons, both of whom saw oversea 
service in the late war. Her oldest son, Capt. Le Kov II. Bailey, 
graduated from Hahnemann Meiiical College, New York, and was 
practicing medicine in Los Angeles when he enlisted. He was surgeon 
in the Military Police Division and is now with the .\rmv of Occu- 



264 HISTORY AXI) 1U( X'.RAIMIV 

pation in Germany. Fhc second son, Elba X.. was attending the 
University of California at Berkeley at the time he enlisted. He 
attended the ordnance school, was attached to the Mobile Artillery 
Repair Shop; he saw active service in France and was top sergeant 
when discharged. Mrs. Williams' second daughter is Mrs. Gertrude 
Henry, of Los Angeles, Cal., and she is the mother of a son, Lieut. 
George \V. Henry, D. D. S., who enlisted in the Officers' Reserve 
Corps, but did not go to France. 

Mr. Williams was Past Commander of Vicksburg Post, G. A. R., 
at Pomona, and was also identified with the Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows, and donated liberally to the church. He was widely 
esteemed for his public spirit and his interest in the upbuilding and 
advancement of the community in which he resided, being ever ready 
to do his part in advancing the interests of the Valley. His demise, 
which occurred October 17, 1902, was deeply lamented by his many 
friends. 



1:DGAR a. LAWRENCE 

Among the representati\x men of Pomona, Edgar A. Lawrence 
has perhaps been one of the largest individual factors in the develop- 
ment and progress of this section of California, which he chose among 
all others as his abiding place, after tra\-eling over the entire state 
before deciding on his future home. A native of Oswego County, 
N. '\'., \\here his birth took place August 22, 1842, he followed farm- 
ing for a time on finishing his schooling, and has made his own way 
in the world, helping his father farm from the early age of thirteen 
until he was about thirty. He went to East Syracuse, that same state, 
and engaged in contracting and building, and erected the first store 
budding m the town, and later built six buildings for himself and 
fourteen for another enterprising man. He erected a fine home for 
himself in the town, and took an actixe part in the upbuilding of the 
rapidly growmg city. Me engaged in the general merchandise business 
for a time, then became a stockholder and superintendent of a wagon 
manufactory until coming to California. He served as deputy assessor, 
among other ci\ic duties, and in church affairs was trustee and treas- 
urer ot the Presb\terian Church, anil alwavs an active \\-orker m the 
temperance cause. 

Mr. Lawrence made his first trip to California in 1884, arriving 
No\ember 26 of that year. He tra\-eled through the state and decided 
to locate in Pomona, an important factor in his decision being the 
excellent artesian water to be had here. He returned East and brought 
his family to Pomona on November 1.^, 1885. Mr. Lawrence's first 
business investment here was a grove in the Kingslev tract, on which 
he set out oranges; this he later sold, and bought, developed and sold 
other orange grcnes in the \'alley. Among his \arieil enterprises he 



I1IS'1N)RV AND I'.IOC.R Al'in iCS 

engaged in the manufacture ot Alpine plaster, in l^os Angeles, and 
at one time owned a 6()0-acre banana plantation in South America. 
A large property-owner in Pomona, Mr. Lawrence is the owner of 
three store buildings on Second Street, and a building on Main Street. 
He helped to form the Home Telephone Company and is one of the 
largest stockholders in that concern, also is a stockholder in the Kirsi 
National Bank of I'omona, and has real estate holdings in Los .Angeles. 

The marriage of .Mr. Lawrence, which occurreil in New York 
state, July 3, 1865. united him with Cornelia J. Burnham, ot Cort- 
land County, anil four children ha\e been born to them, three living. 
E. Alva. Arthur H.. anil .Mrs. .Albert Snow. The family attend the 
Congregational Church. 

Recognized as one of I'omona's most representative upbuilders, 
.Mr. Lawrence has been in the vanguard of progress since his first 
arrival in the \'alley. A man of firm convictions and with the courage 
to carry them to successful conclusion, it is to such men as he that the 
rapid advancement of Pomona, as a city, and center ot the orange 
inilustry of the Southwest, is due. 



JOHN J. WHITL 

A worthy pioneer of Pomona \ alley and one who has taken an 
important part in its development and was closely identified with the 
fruit industry here for many years. John J. White has seen many 
changes wrought in this fertile section in the past thirty-six years, and 
has himself been a part of the growth and advancement of the com- 
munity. He is a native of Indiana, born in Bartholomew County, 
February 17, 1843, and was reared in Tipton. Howard County, that 
state. He enlisted and served in an Indiana regiment iluring the Civil 
War, after which he farmed there for a time, then went to .Miami 
County. Kans.. in 1871, and farmed there until 1881. 

In 1876 .Mr. White made his first trip to California, and stayed 
four months. In 1881 he came here to stay, and for two and one-half 
years resided in San Diego County, near what is now I"!scondiiio. In 
1883 he came to Pomona, and has made his home here since that early 
date, keenly ali\e to the opportunities to be found here and helping 
to make their realization possible for future generations. After his 
arrival he did carpenter work for a while, and later did teaming. For 
a number of years he le\eled land for orchard planting. I le super- 
intendeil the graiiing of the Loud ranch on San .Antonio .\\enue. 
directing a gang of 10(1 men. and later bought fruit for Loud and 
Cierling, fruit packers in Pomona. .Among his other interests, he ran 
a fruit-drying yanl for himself and others, and bought and developed 
land. He planted a fi\e-acre ranch to fruit, on (iraml .Avenue: this 
land he later sold to his son, John I). In 1885 .Mr. White bought 



26(< HISTORY .WD RIOGRArilY 

a five-acre ranch on Towne A\"cnLie, from the Pomona Land ami 
Water Company, which lie phmted to apricots and wahnits, and this 
land he still owns; he has tlevcloped it into a fine producer and in his 
\arious activities in the Valley has worked steadily as a real upbuilder 
and upholder of the community's best interests. 

The marriage of JVIr. White, in Indiana, near Kokomo, united 
him with Lucy Jane Long, a native of Indiana, and five children have 
been given them to help carry on the world's work: Ulysses E., Addi- 
son T., John D., Lawrence T., and Grace, wife of Ernest Irwin. Ten 
grandchildren and one great-grandchild have blessed the family as 
well, and Pomona can well be proud of such worthy citizens. 



CHARLES KUNTZ 

Among the pioneers of Pomona Valley, mention should be made 
of the acti\ities of the late Charles Kuntz, who was one of the moving 
spirits in Pomona from the date of his arrival here until his death. 
A native of Germany, he was born in 1 842, and when he was a lad of 
twel\-e he was brought to this country by his parents, who settled in 
Warrensburg, Mo. He received but a limited education, but his 
contact with the world eventually made him an interesting conversa- 
tionalist and a well-informed man. 

Although but a lad of thirteen he began work in Missouri as 
water boy to the construction crew engaged in building the Central 
Pacific Railroad, antl at the age of nineteen he enlisted for service in 
the Civil War in the Tenth Missouri Volunteer Infantrv and served 
with the L'nion Army throughout the war. After the war was over he 
engaged in the nursery business in Henry County, Mo., and it was 
while living there that he married Mrs. Jane C. (Kaufman) Kadell, 
their marriage taking place on June 1, 1876. 

A native of Northern Switzerland, Mrs. Kuntz was born in 
1850, and when a girl of five accompanied her parents to the United 
States, and for a time they lived in Ohio. In 1861 the family removed 
to Henry County, Mo., and it was there that her marriage to James 
Kadell was solemnized in 1867. Of that union she has two children 
living: Mary, Mrs. Heyle of Rockville, Mo., and the mother of five 
sons, one of whom served as a soldier in the World War and saw 
service in France. The second child is James William Kadell of Oak- 
land, Cal., and the father of two children, Alleen and William. After 
the death of Mr. Kadell she married Mr. Kuntz, and they had ten 
children, six of them still living: Louise, Mrs. Heydenreich of Los 
Angeles, is a talented musician on the violin; Lena, Mrs. Huston of 
Calexico, Cal., and the mother of two sons, Charles and Louis; Otto, 
served in the Seventh Regiment Band, N. G. C, on the Mexican 
border, then was with the band of Company B, One Hundred Sixtieth 
Regiment, U. S. A., stationed at Arcadia ami later at Camp Kearny 




V 

^ 



^s-^ 





HISTORY AND liloGRAl'l 1\' _'(.') 

for six months; Etta and Olive are next in order of liirth; I'rank, 
served for twenty months in the L nited States Navy during; the Worltl 
War, and had many interesting experiences iliirint^ his term of ser\ ice. 

It was in 1884 that Mr. and Mrs. Kiintz, with their family, came 
to California and settled in I'omnna, where Mr. Kunt/. enj^aji;ed in 
raising \ egetables and ilelisereil them to customers by wajfon throufrh- 
out the \'allcy. They built their lirst home at the corner of iourth 
Street ami (jarey Axenuc, and there they li\ed for many years. It was 
on this spot that the lirst water w ell in Pomona was located, and where, 
in earlier days, the people of the \'alley hcM their picnics on account 
of the line water, and the people of the new settlement useil to come 
there for their supply of drinking water. The well ceased to yield a 
supply and was covered over by the residence that now stands on that 
corner, where the family now make their home. During the latter 
years of his life Mr. Kunt/. Ii\cd retired. He was a charter member 
of \'icksburg Post, No. 61, G. A. K., was a loyal citizen and upbuilder 
of Pomona \'allcy, anil when he tlieil, .August 22, 1917. the County 
of Los Angeles lost a good citizen anil the community, a stanch friend. 

Mrs. Kuntz, during the Civil War, was of great service to the 
Union soldiers, for she took up her father's work in the Hfime Ciuards 
while he planted and raised corn for the army, doing her share of the 
work by riding horseback and taking the supplies to the soldiers. 
About twenty years ago she was healed by Christian Science and ever 
since then has been an active member of that denomination and a 
practitioner of note in Pomona, where she has made some womierful 
cures and healed many whose cases had been given up by the physi- 
cians. Especially was this noted during the epidemic of influenza that 
raged in the Valley in 1917 and 1918, when some eighty cases were 
cured by her. She is a charter member of the Christian Science Church 
of Pomona, and a kindly and benevolent character, and is beloved by 
a large circle of friends who appreciate her qualities of mind and heart. 



JAMIS AI.BI Kl DoLi 

Natives of the state of Maine have alvvnvs been noted for their 
stanch "hewing to the right," no matter in what circumstances they 
find themselves, and for the sturdy characteristics which go to make 
successful men of affairs in any walk of life. Among those who have 
elected to make Calilornia their home anil who have aiiled very mate- 
rially in the advancement of their sections of the (iolden State, no 
biographical historv would be complete without mention of the name 
of James Albert Dole. Born in Bangor, Maine, September 2lt, 1S4.'?, 
he is the son of .Albert and Miriam (McDonald) Dole, the father 
a cabinet maker and a manufacturer of furniture. The Dole familv 
is traced back to Richard Dole, who came from England to Newbury- 



270 lllSTokV AXl) r.ioc.RAriiv 

port, Mass., early in the sevcntcentli century. James A. received his 
education in the common schools of his neighborhood, and entered the 
high school, expecting to graduate. Circumstances, however, inter- 
fered with that desired consummation of his studies, and he left school 
to learn his father's trade, anti from that time on was face to face with 
the serious business of life. 

When a youth of eighteen, the Civil War broke out, and, like a 
true ^ ankee, young Dole went to the defense of the Union, enlisting 
in Company K, Eighteenth Maine Infantry, afterwards the First 
Maine Heavy Artillery, and was promoted from the ranks to a first 
lieutenant. He took part in two \-ery serious battles, those of Harris 
I'ariii, \'a., and Petersburg, and in the first battle his company lost 
half of their men, while in the second e\-ery fighting man left in the 
company was hit. I'he regiinent. in fact, lost more men than any 
other in the entii-e wai-, \\hich surely speaks \\ell for the courage and 
endurance of those who, like Mr. Dole, although wounded in both 
battles, came through safely. After the surrender of Lee, Mr. Dole's 
resignation was accepteii, June 10, 1865, aiul he returned home. His 
father had died May 30, 1861, so with an elder brother he took over 
the father's business, conducting it under the name of Dole Bros., and 
under that heading they continueil business for twenty-tive years, be- 
coming well know!! for the artistic qualities and reliability of their 
workmanship. 

A younger brother, John I Icnry Dole, came W^est and established 
the People's Bank at Pomona, and when the health of William B., the 
elder brother, failed, they all came to California and settled at Pomona 
in 1887. William B. became president of the People's Bank, and also 
in\ested in orange groves, remaining acti\'e in the business life of the 
Valley until his death, which occurred in I S97. His younger brother, 
John H. Dole, was cashier of the bank until his death, the following 
year. Succeeding his brother, James Albert Dole became president 
of the bank and continued in that position until the institution was sold 
to the American National Bank, in 1902. 

Ha\ing early gi\en his attention to the absorbing question of 
water supply and power, Mr. Dole became president of the San An- 
tonio Light and Power Company, and the importance of the enterprise 
may be realized when it is learned that this was the first company in 
the world to successfully transmit electricity a long distance for power 
purposes so economically that it was demonstrated a commercial 
success. In 1900 Mr. Dole sold his interest in the water cotiipany. and 
for three years he was president of the gas company. During the 
early pioneer years, he was active in horticultural dexelopment work 
and with his brothers planted, Impro\ed and owned large orange 
groves. The Pomona Telephone Company was another enterprise to 
claim Mr. Dole's attention, and for some years he was \ice-president 
of that concei-n, and in 1918 was elected president of the company. 



11IST( )R\ AND I'.K K".K.\I'II\- 27] 

which maintains a hi{j;h rate of efficiency as a public service corporation. 
The marriage oF Mr. Dole, which occurred June 2, 1874. at 
Bangor, Maine, united him with .Miss l.mma Drummond, a daughter 
of Manuel S. and Lucinda C. Drummond, ami one daughter, Miriam, 
blessed their union, who distinguished herself iluring the late war to 
the satisfaction of her many friends in the community through V. .M. 
C. A. work for our soldiers in France, and is now establishing a 5(HI- 
bed hospital in Serbia. The wife and mother passed to her higher 
reward in Bangor, Maine, November 13, 1917, sincerely mourned by 
her devoted family and many frientls in the community, where she had 
endeared herself as a faithful coworker with her husband tor the 
welfare of their home section. The family attend the Congregational 
Church. Fraternally, Mr. Dole is a Knight Templar as well as a mem- 
ber of Al .Malaikah Temple, A. A. (). N. M. S.. Los Angeles. Patriot- 
ically, he is a member of the (jrand .\rmy and the Loyal Legion. It 
would be hard to find a man more thoroughly in accord with the spirit 
of |)rogress for which I'omona X'alley is known throughout the country, 
and who in both his public and pri\'ate life has proven himself a true 
citizen and representative of the American commonwealth, than James 
Albert Dole. 



AFFIX P. MCnOFS 

A member of the California bar, the junior son of an old-time 
Poinona family, Allen I*. Nichols was born in Burlington, \'t., on 
April F 1867. He is the son of Dr. Benjamin S. Nichols, who for 
years practiced medicine in New York and X'ermont and in time 
married Miss Lucy Pentield. Later Doctor Nichols entered the field 
of business in \'ermont; and, coming to California and Pomona in 
1886, he bought an interest in the Pomona Land and Water Company, 
of which he became the president and remained the managing spirit 
until his death. Mrs. Nichols, beloved by a wide circle of friends and 
acquaintances, passed away in 1914. 

Educated in the public and pri\ate schools of Burlington, \ t., 
Allen P. Nichols stuilied at the L nixersity of \'ermont until coming 
to Pomona in 1S87, aiui evcntuallv matriculatcil in the Law School 
of Yale L ni\ersity, from which he was gratiuated in 1S91 with the 
degree of LL.B. Prior to that he had studicil law with Attorney P. C. 
Tonner from 1888 to 189f), which consiiierably facilitated his Yale 
L'niversity work. At the Lniversity of N'ermont he belonged to the 
Sigma I'hi fraternity: and at ^'ale he was made a member of the Book 
and (iavel Club, .\fter graduating he practiced in Pomona in ISO! 
with .Mr. Tonner. In later vears he formetl a partnership with Russell 
K. I'it/er, which continuei.! to 1916, when his present firm. Nichols. 
Cooper & Hickson, was formed. 



272 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

At East Harchvick, \'t., on July 2, 1891, Mr. Nichols married 
Miss Elizabeth Adgate, and they are the parents of four children: 
Lucy E., now Mrs. Edgar W. Maybury of Pasadena; Luther A. is a 
graduate of the University of California and was a lieutenant in the 
Aviation Corps during the war; he is now graduate manager of univer- 
sity athletic activities at Berkeley; Mary G. is Mrs. H. A. Bartlett 
of Pomona; and Donald P. is a senior in the Pomona high school. 
Mr. Nichols is a thirty-second degree Mason and a Shriner, and is 
deeply interested in all Masonic actixities. 

A member of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Nichols is always 
seeking new and appro\ed ways of promoting the growth of Pomona 
and \icinity. He was president of the Board of Education for two 
terms and chairman of the local exemption board during the war, and 
also ser\'ed as city attorney for one term. He is a member of the 
Claremont Golf Club and takes his \-acations in the Big Bear \"alley, 
where he enjoys entertaining his iamily and friends. 



ALONZO W. LEE 

Among the names worthy of being perpetuated in the annals of 
Pomona Valley is that of Alonzo W. Lee, a prominent orange and 
walnut grower and pioneer of the section. Mr. Lee was born in Wash- 
ington County, Lid., October 31, 1857, a son of William and Eliza- 
beth (Thomas) Lee, both born and reared in Lidiana of Southern 
ancestry. He was reared on the farm and after attaining his majority 
spent a year in Texas, from whence he returned to his native State 
and engaged in farming for one year. He then went to Nebraska, 
when the greater part of the land was undevelopeti, and worked on a 
farm for a year, then rented land and engaged in the occupation of 
agriculture for himself. He next went to southwestern Missouri and 
farmed for two years, going, thence to eastern Kansas, where he con- 
tinued the occupation of tilling the soil two and a half years more. 
In September, 1887, he came to Pomona Valley, Cal., and settled at 
Lemon Station, now Walnut. For five years he raised barley on the 
Rowland Ranch in the Walnut district, and in the meantime purchased 
twenty acres of unimproved land, which he set to Navel and \'alencia 
oranges. 

In 1902 he bought fifteen acres adjoining his place and set out a 
walnut gro\e. His walnut trees are all budded to the best variety of 
walnuts, and in 1918 the orchard produced $9,000 in gross receipts, 
and the 1919 crop exceeded this in net returns. His orange grove is 
a wonderful producer also, and one season six acres of Valencia 
oranges yielded over $10,000 worth of fruit — a reconl crop in the 
Valley. In early days he sold oranges direct to the residents of 
Pomona. 



^ 

5 



n 




^ 



K 




HISTORY AND I'.K X'J'iAr! IV 275 

He has been twiee iiiarried. I lis tirst wife, who in niaiJenhoiHi 
was Kva Engle, bore him three sons and four daughters. James 
De Witt was a member of the One Hundred Forty-fourth lield Ar- 
tillery in the Grizzlies Regiment, and saw service in France; Frnest 
was a member of the United States Marines; Arthur was also in the 
navy and saw active service at the front with a machine-gun company. 
Fldna is the wife of W. D. Persons of Walnut; Kathleen is the wife of 
F. W. Combs of Oregon, and Florence is a nurse and was employed 
in Pomona \'alley Hospital during the war, but is now at home. .Maud 
M. died aged eighteen years. Mrs. Lee died in April, 1912. 

On Xo\ember 26, 1914, Mr. Lee was united in marriage with 
Mrs. Clara Afflerbaugh, who was living at Chino. She has one son, 
Alvin Fay Afflerbaugh of Los Angeles. 

Mr. Lee was a member of the school board in the Walnut district 
for several years. He was one of the organizers anil is a director ami 
charter member of the Walnut IVuit Growers Association. He has 
been largely instrumental in developing the Walnut tlistrict, and is 
justly entitled to the position of esteem and respect accorded him. 



DA\11) 11. COLLINS 

One of the first settlers of Pomona \'alley. where he located in 
18S3, after varied experiences in California and Arizona, David H. 
Collins crossed the plains to California when a lad of hfteen years 
and, with the exception of two years, lived the balance of his life in 
this state, a part of the growing West, in which he was a well-known 
figure. Born in Rochester, N. Y., in 18.^8, he Mas the son of LaFay- 
ctte and I'lizabeth (Flayden) Collins, the former a native of \'ermont 
and the latter of Connecticut. The father located in Rochester, and 
there practiced law and was judge of the district court in that city. In 
1853 he brought his family across the plains to California, and locateii 
in Petaluma, Sonoma County, where he practical law and served as 
district attorney for that county. Flis death occurred in 1867. 

David H. Collins followed farming and stock raising with his 
father and brothers in Sonoma County. For two years he was in 
Arizona ,ind helped lay out the town of Prescott in that state, also 
followed mining for a time. Then, in 1867, he came to Southern 
California and located at San Jacinto and with his brother, Ciermain 
Collins, engageti in stock raising, continuing in that occupation until 
1874, in which vear he came to Santa Ana and followed ranching. 

From 1881 to 1883 Mr. Collins was in the dairy business, on his 
Chino ranch, with 600 cows, leasing land ami stock from Richard 
Ciird. In 1883 he came to Spailra, bought 200 acres of land in the 
San Jose School District, one mile west of Spailra, and engaged in 
grain-raising on a large scale; in addition to his ranch property, he 



276 HISTORY AND IlloCRAlM IV 

rented land and combined his raising of grain with the breeding of tine 
horses and Durham cattle. 

Always with the public welfare at heart, this line old pioneer 
served in public ofHce e\cn while busily engaged in de\elopment work; 
a Republican iti politics, he was a member of the county central com- 
mittee, and also ser\ed as deputy county assessor. In fraternal organ- 
izations he was a member of Pomona Lodge No. 246, I. O. O. F. 

Da\-id H. Collins was twice married; the first time in 1867, to 
Zille Martin, a nati\e of Sonoma County, Cal. She died in 1881, 
leaving ti\e children: I'red, Bessie, Gertrude, Grace, and John, a 
druggist at Cutler. On April 20, 1882, Mr. Collins was united in 
marriage with Ida 1^". Arnold, and one son was born to them, Henry 
LaFayette, who entered service in the very beginning of the \\'orkl 
War, 1914, as chief yeoman in the L'nited States Navy, and assisted 
HI the capture of the German raider \'icksburg in the Pacific Ocean. 

A true helpmate to Mr. Collins during their thirty years of life 
together, after his death Mrs. Collins sold the home ranch, in 1912, 
and mo\ed to Pomona, where she conducts the Fifth Avenue Apart- 
ment House. 



HFXRY M. REFD 

During the period of his residence in Pomona \^illey, dating 
from 1882, H. M. Reed, pioneer of Pomona, has seen the arid and 
treeless country develop into a veritable garden of luxuriant beauty, 
citrus gro\es displacing the fields of grain and well-pa\ed roads inter- 
secting the \^alley in lieu of the old sand roads through which the 
horses and mules of that early day had to amble knee-deep in dust. 

Mr. Reed is a native of Montgomery County, Ohio, antl was 
born December 6, 1848. His father, John Ci., and mother, Lyciia 
(Yoe) Reetl, nati\'es of Schuvlkill County, Pa., are deceased. The 
father, a carpenter by traile, followctl that occupation in Ohio and 
Indiana, antl continued it after coming to Pt^mona, October, 1875, 
where he purchased a c]uarter block of land at the corner of South 
Thomas and West Sixth streets, upon which he built the house in which 
his son now li\es. He was the father of four children: Henry M. 
Reed of Pomona; Da\id C. Reed of Del Mar, San Diego County, 
Cal.; Mrs. T. J. Emerick of Summerland. Cal., and Mrs. Catherine 
Beem, of Strawberry Park, Cal. 

H. M» Reetl was reared m Shelby County, Ind., where he re- 
mained until nineteen veai's of age, when he removed to Johnson 
County, ind., going thence to Brookson, White County, in the same 
state. He was employed as a farm hand in Indiana, and upon coming 
to Pomona in 1882 worked at the carpenter trade with his father. 
Many of the old 




Jlra^^/tl -^a 



HISTORN' AXl) lUOGRAI'IIV 170 

III 19U3 he entered the emph)y of the city as teamster, and helped 
grade and construct many of Pomona's streets. He is now retired. 

Mis marriage united him with .Miss Ella 1'. IlaH of Indiana, who 
bore him three daughters: Mrs. Pearl Xunneley of Pomona, Mrs. 
Hazel ReynoKis of El Centro, Cal., and Mrs. Helen Blakemore of 
Pomona. In his religious convictions Mr. Reed is a member of the 
Methodist Church. He is a respected citizen of the community and 
enjoys the confidence and esteem of a large circle of friends ami 
acquaintances. 



FRANK GARCELON. M. D. 

When the Grim Reaper called Dr. Frank Garcelon to his reward 
on June 24. 1914, Pomona \'al!ey and Southern California lost one 
of the old-school physicians who had endeared himself to a very wide 
circle of friends through his humanitarian methods and his skill in 
diagnosing and in the treatment of iliseases. He was of that school 
of family doctors, almost extinct, who ever have been looked upon, not 
alone as physician, but as counselor and friend. 

Frank Garcelon was born in St. Albans, Maine. June 6, 1848, a 
worthy representative of the old New England type of family, long 
prominent in the history of Maine. His early education was obtained 
in the schools of his locality, after which he matriculated in the I'ni- 
versity of Maine, from which he was graduated with honors, then 
began the study of medicine at the University, completed the course, 
graduated from Bowdoin later, ami then took up post-graduate work 
in Bowdoin Medical College. 

His first independent practice was in I,i\erinore I'alls, Maine, 
where his talents were becoming well known and he was building up 
a practice, but in ISS."? he was called to Abilene, Kans., bv the serious 
illness of a sister, and during the years he remained in that state he 
experienced some of the pioneer life in Kansas. It was in January. 
1888, that he located in Pomona, but the following year the family 
moved to Chico, where the Doctor had a sister li\ing. For about a 
year he remained there, when, on account of the heaviest rains ever 
experienced in the state, causing tremendous losses to the people. Dr. 
Garcelon decided he would return to Pomona, which he did in 1890, 
and from the time of his second arri\al here he was in continuous 
practice until shortly before his death. 

During the early years of his practice here he was often called 
upon to travel long distnnces to visit the sick and afflicted, his patients 
living as far west as El Monte and eastwarti into San Bernardino 
County and south to Ri\erside. He first was associated with Dr. C. 
\V. Brown and Dr. Thomas Coates. under the firm name of Brown. 
Coates & (iarcelon. but eventually he practiced imlependently for many 



280 lIlSTnm" AM) I'.IOC.R \l'll^' 

years. I'or more than twenty years he nia'mta'metl his ofliec in the 
Phillips Block, only closing it about a year prior to his death, during 
which tinie he was conlinctl to his home with ailments that caused his 
death. 

Dr. (iarcelon was the last of li\e brothers in a lamily of clc\-cn 
children, three of whom showed their patriotism by their service in 
behalf of their country during the Ci\il War; one died in Libby prison ; 
another was with Sherman in the march to the sea, and was killetl 
during the ti-ip; and a thinl was also a \ictim of the war, dying in a 
hospital in \cw Orleans; a fourth ilied in South America. His sisters 
were Mrs. IJelen Warren; Mrs. Lydia Stewart; Mrs. C. W. Brown; 
Mrs. Louise Pettengill; Mrs. Amanda I'ettengill ; and Mrs. George 
Hunton. 

Dr. (iarcelon was a member of all the Masonic bodies in Pomona, 
and was largely instrumental in organizing Southern California Com- 
mandery No. .37, K. 1\, here, of which he was the lirst I'.minent 
Commander; he was a metnber of the Scottish Rite Consistory in Los 
Angeles. Through his efforts and untiring zeal the Pomona ^'alley 
Hospital owes more for its existence than to any other man, ami he 
\\as the dean of the faculty on its opening; no one had thought of any 
other for the honor. He was the friend of all physicians who sought 
to be worthy of the calling. It is said of Dr. Garcelon that he seldom 
sent a bill to a patient lor serxices, nor asketl one dollar 1 rom any one 
in his lile. 1 le beliexed every one to be honest and that they would 
pay when they coultl. It is also true that he never refused a call, no 
matter how far he IkuI to go, nor did he ever take into consideration 
the weather conditions. He was a skilled physician, often called in 
counsel in difficult cases, antl as long as he was needed he \\as on hand 
to attentl the patient. 

I lis |)r()lessional duties did not entii"ely absorb all of his time to 
the exclusion of all other interests; he was approachable and was 
always ready to aid, so far as in his power, all worthy projects for the 
ad\'ancement of the interests of the people of the Valley and the up- 
building of the state of his adoption. No one ever sought his aiil and 
was denied. 1 le was highly esteemed by his associate physicians, f<5r 
he was always abreast of the times anil held membership in the Los 
Angeles County Meilical Society; Southern California Medical Asso- 
ciation, of which he ser\etl as preslilent at one time; anil the American 
Metlical Association. 

The marriage of Dr. h'rank (iarcelon on May 27, 1877, united 
him with Miss l'',leanor Coffin, a nati\e of Maine, and they became 
the parents of two children: Dr. Harris (iarcelon of Victorxille, Cal.; 
and I'.leanor, who married George B. Jess of Van Nuys. 



iiisrt >KN \M' r.ii ir.K \i'in 



.'SI 



I AMI s W I I I I I "N 

I (> lu' the ili'sii'iul.mt III oiu' til llu- oKI puMU'i'i^ nl C .ililm iii.i, mu' 
ot (111- '4')iTs wild p.isi'ii llu- w.iv lor tl\i- piisiiit piospi'iitv inioMil 
h\ thi'ir ili'sci'iul.inls, is an lumtir wliuli is Hilling; to l>i' vlisiiiuiu f, 
siiui' so manv ol tlu- oKl lamilii-s in llu' stall' liavo Jiitl otii aiiil Kit 
MO one to laiiN on llu- wmk startiil In thi'ir loii'lallu'is. I lu- miinsi 
vvhiih attailu's lo the hioniaphy ol CahlOrnia piom-i'is is not that ol 
iiiriositv, Init a \ isihli' cvpri'ssion ol t\\c niatitmii' whiih all imn li'il 
towai'ils those idri'innni'is ol ii\ ili/alion in llu- lar Wist. 1 liinsill 
a nativ I- son, .mil tlu- on I \ li\ inn tUsii-nilant ol a pioiu-i'i- laniih , Janu's 
W. l-ulton lias ahlv lanii-il on llu- wurk ol ili-\ ilopnunl in llu- stali- 
iii whiih his lathi-r luul a lar^i- pail, ,iiul nuntion ol imlli llusi- ahlr 
Mii-n is iliii- in loinpilinn the liistorv ol .in\ p.nl ol t'.ililoini.i. .nul 
|i.ii-tiiul.iilv that ol I'onion.i X'.illev. 

IJorii in Santa Kos.i, Sononi.i Cdunl\, JiiU .'n, ISn7, J.iines W. 
l-'ullon is the son ol l.inus anJ M.ilissa (Wilson) I'lilton, llu- l.ilher 
a n.itixe ol imli.in.i, who erossej the pl.iiiis to (."ariloi-ni,i with o\ teams 
in tlu- \eai- IS-I'*, aiul niineil iluiinij; those eNiilin^ limes in the si. He's 
history, i le I. Her enna^^eJ in shuk |-,iisinn ,iiul the ilair\ Inisiness, liisl 
at San |ose, aiul then in Sonoma C'oiml\. In ISTS, willi Ins son, 
James \\'., he tra\e!eil .ill o\er the norlhern p.irt ol the sl.ite, < )renon 
aiul W'.isliinnttin, ami upon their return llu- l.ilher went to IVx.is .iiul 
hdiinht a haiul ol sheep whieh he leaseil out then-. I le e.iiiie lo 
Southern C'alilorni.i aiul loe,ileil at Uixera, ne.ir W'hitlier, I .os .Xn^eles 
t'ountv, where he w as joineil in his son. l'i-omlhat loealiu he went lo 
the .A/iisa N'alley aiul there luiu(;lii a trael ol' i.iiul. I'liis i.iiuli his son 
w'.is put in char)j;e ol, aiul Janus, Si., remaineil on the UiNiia r.iiuh, 
lioih eiif^a^feil in sloek raisinj; on a lar^je seale. 

In I.SS,?, J.imes W. 1 ulloii soKl out his raiuh aiui wi-iit to j'ev.is, 
where he remaineil ahoiil two ye.irs. aiul while there soKl his l.ilher's 
sheep aiul returiu'il, aiul in ISS*! lather aiul son loe.iteil on a trail ol 
raw l.iiul in the I'omona \.ille\, eomprisinn se\enl\-li\e aires; laler 
lliis laiul was sululixideil and sold, and is now .ill huill up, .1 p.irl ol llie 
resiiieiue seetion of N'orlh I'omona. James W. later set out .1 loitv- 
li\e-aei-e m-aii^ie ^;i-o\ e and devoted his raiiihini^ .ulnilies lo eitriis 
euIli\ation. in later years lu- retind lioni .iili\e horiieuiliiral pursuits 
and snid this raiuli, though he still is llu- owner ol .1 Iw eiit\ -liv e-.u re 
apple orchard in the Vueaipa \ allev, an e\ ideiue ol his pro^rressive 
iileas In trying; out new de\ elopmenl work in the stale. 

Sinee his lirsl resideiue in tlu- \'.ille\, [.lines W. I iillnii h.is l.ikeii 
an .litis i- part in llu- de\ elopmeiii work ol this seetion, and he is now 
r.ited as one ol the most prominenl and repiesentaliN e men in the 
N'alley. I lis years of di\ei-silii-d wink and Irasel have ^'iven him a 
hroad \ isiiiii and keen insi^hl inio the lutiire pnssihililies nl a eoni- 
mtiniu, Ant\ willi th<- itiiMie spirit found in .ill re.il C .ililorni.iiis, lu- h.is 



282 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

been a factor in the ad\ancenient and gro\\'th of both Pomona and her 
surrounding territory. He was a director and one of the founders of 
the first orange growers' association in the Valley; he is president and 
one of the founders of the Home Builders Loan Association of Po- 
mona; a director and one of the organizers of the State Bank of 
Pomona; and a director and one of the founders of the Home tele- 
phone Company of Pomona. 

The marriage of Mr. Fulton united him with Anna McCune. 
born in Greencastle, Pa., and they had a son, Wilford, now deceased. 
They are members of the Christian Church and acti\-e in the good 
works of that body. 



SAMUEL B. CLIFTON 

Among the valiant men who serve the country faithfully in the 
capacitv of L^nited States forest rangers, is numbered Samuel B. 
Clifton, a Southerner by birth. He was born in his native state of 
Alabama, March 6, 1859, in Cherokee County, and at the age of 
fourteen, in 187.5, accompanied his parents when they removed to 
Conway, Ark. His father was a stock raiser and butcher, and Samuel 
B. was associated with him in this occupation until 1886, when he came 
to Pomona Valley, Cal. In those early days the present site of the 
thriving city of San Dimas was a waving field of grain, and in the 
thirty-three years of Mr. Clifton's residence in the \^alley he has ^^■it- 
nessed many changes equally great. In early days he did day work 
on the ranches in the Valley, which in those days were devoted prin- 
cipally to grain farming, there being only a few oranges trees in the 
Valley. He next engaged In the important industry of water develop- 
ment in the ^^^lley, and worked at tunneling for water for the La 
\'erne Land and Water Company. He worked on the FZdgemont 
Ranch, and also for L. M. Wicks in water de\elopment, constructing 
pipe lines, etc. In 1901 he entered the United States Cioxernment 
service as forest ranger, the position he now occupies. His territory 
includes the San Dimas, Live Oak and Palm Canyons, and his duties 
are to pre\'ent forest fires, fight fires, prevent cutting of timber, and 
to prevent people from leaving camp Hres burning. These are his 
summer duties. In the winter he has charge of a crew of men engaged 
in making trails and fire breaks. He has built a tire break from San 
Dimas Canyon to San Antonio Canyon nine miles long and fifty-two 
feet wide, and in all has built fifty miles of trails and fire breaks. The 
whole mountain tlistrict which he serves is a network of trails, which 
makes it an easy task to get the fire fighters quicklv to the blaze. He 
has a fine record in his district, where no large fires have ever occurreci 
and many small fires ha\e been quickly extinguished. He has also 
played an important part in the development of the orange inudstry 
in the \"alley. Fie purchased a ten-acre unimproved piece of land at 



IIISTORV AXl) DIOGRAl'lIV J83 

the mouth of San Diinas Canyon, cleared the hind, de\eh)pcd a supply 
of water for irrigation purposes, planted the property to Na\el 
oranges, and in ten years' time sold the place for a good profit. He 
next hought eight and one-half acres of unimprosed land at the mouth 
of Live Uak Canyon, which he similarly developed and disposed of in 
nine years' time. He was married in Arkansas in 1879 to Kate E. 
I'ettit, born in Missouri, of whom he was bereaved March .3, 1915. 
Of the seven children she bore him, four are living: Audrey, who 
presides gracefully over her father's home; Bessie, the wife of Robert 
listep of San Dimas; Charlotte, the wife of V. Fugate of Kl Segundo, 
Cal.; and Ross, who is in the employ of Hamburger's Department 
Store in Los Angeles. Self-made in the widest use of the term, he is 
a man of broad ideas, liberal and progressive, and enjoys a wide 
popularity in a community which owes much to him for the furtherance 
of its development. 



PATRICK W. DOYLI-: 

One of the early settlers of Pomona who atljusted himself to the 
pioneer conditions here and aided materially in the development work 
then being put forward, Patrick W. Doyle will be remembered as one 
of the worthy pioneers of this section. Born in Kildare, Leinstcr, 
Ireland, he was the youngest of nine children born to Patrick and 
Catherine (Wall) Doyle, the mother also a native of Kildare. 
Patrick \V. received his education up to his thirteenth year in private 
schools in Ireland; the mother died when he was voung. and the father 
brought his children to America in 1849. He followed farming near 
Auburn, X. Y.. and later died there. 

Patrick W. Doyle went to Rochester. X. Y., and there learned 
the carpenter trade and followed it there until 1864. He then went 
to Cleveland, Ohio, and there became a contractor and builder and 
followed that work in Cleveland for twenty-one vears. In 1885 he 
came to California and located in Pomona. He bought a nine-acre 
ranch in the Kingsley Tract, one of the first to buy and build a home 
in that tract. The land was piped for irrigation anil ilomestic use, anti 
a purjiping plant established. .Mr. Doyle set out prunes on his land, 
but later took them f)ut ami set out oranges, Xa\els ami \'alencias. 
The family home is still on this ranch, situateii on the corner of San 
Antonio and 01i\e avenues. 

In addition to his citrus development, .Mr. Doyle engaged in con- 
tracting and building in Pomona, and followed that line for manv 
years. He built the first Catholic church here and superintended the 
building of the present church. He erected the packing plant at Clare- 
mont, and many fine homes and business blocks in Pomona. During 
all his residence here he proved himself a man of worth, with the 
welfare of his community at heart and willing to work toward that 



284 HISTORY AND rilOGRAI'l IN' 

end, and his death was mourned by a large circle of friends as well as 
by his devoted family. 1 lis death occurred November 17, 1917. 

On January 1, 1868, Mr. Doyle married Helen Max, a native 
of Germany, and she survi\es him. They were the parents of eight 
children, as follows: James, now deceased; Edward, of Ri\"erside 
County; Thomas, ileceased; Alice M., residing at the old home; Anna, 
Mrs. McGarry of Los Angeles; George of Seattle; Mary; ami 
William, traveling auditor for the Santa F'e Railway. 



T. HARDY SMITH, M. D. 

A physician who, following exceptional scientilic and technical 
preparation for his work, and years of illuminating practice, has come 
to take front rank among the best representati\es of medicine ami 
surgery in Pomona, is Dr. T. Hardy Smith, who was born at Nor- 
folk, Va., on July 26, 185 5. His father, Prof. William A. Smith, was 
president of Randolph-iVIacon Callege at Boydton, \'a., and under his 
fortunate supervision, the lad took up the study of Latin and Greek 
at the age of nine years. Later, Professor Smith was made president 
of Central College at Fayette, Mo., and there Hardy studied until he 
graduated with the degree of A. M. Then, for three years, he 
engaged in the wholesale dry goods business at St. Louis, Mo. 

In 1879 Mr. Smith began the study of medicine, and three years 
later he was graduated from the St. Louis Medical College with the 
degree of M. D. He practiced medicine \^ith success at St. Louis 
up to 1887, and during the time when he was enlarging his experience 
in the most helpful way, by actual clinical and laboratory work, he was 
professor of physiology at Beaumont Llospital Medical College, 
St. Louis, an institution that has had much to do with directing the 
trend of educational and scientific affairs in the city that some years 
later was hostess to the world. 

Doctor Smith arrived at Pomona on August 24, 1887, and here he 
resumed the practice of medicine in which he has continued e\er since. 
For six years he was health officer of Pomona, and a member of the 
Pomona branch of the Los Angeles County Medical Society and also 
of the American Medical Association. He has also served for thirty 
years as the local surgeon of the Southern Pacific Railroad, and the 
same for the Pacific Electric Railroad since the line was built into 
the Valley. 

At Pomona, Cal., on June 25, 1895, Doctor Smith was married to 
Frances Helena Flood, a nati\e of Canada and a descendant of Ed- 
ward Blake, the distinguished Canadian statesman who did so much 
to safeguard both the distribution of public money and the delicate 
relations between the rapidiv growing Dominion and the mother 



HISTORY' AM) I'.K (CRAI'IIN 2X7 

country. Mrs. Smitli has become active in both Red Cross ami church 
work and has thus made herself invaluable In Pomona society and 
social and civic work. Doctor Smith belongs to Pomona Lod^^e No. 
789, B. P. O. l-'lks, the Modern NN'fxnlmen of .America, the Woodmen 
of the World and the i'raternal Brotherhooil. 



MARC IS T.. SPARKS 

That adverse conditions build up the strong and break down the 
weak has found convincing expression in the life of Marcus L. Sparks. 
whose dauntless spirit has surmounted many obstacles and drawn 
helpful lessons from disheartening circumstances. His reputation as 
one of the most substantial citizens of Pomona rests upon a solid foun- 
dation of actual merit, upon honesty of purpose and never-failing 
devotion to the best interests of his community. Born in Wilkes 
County. \. C, March 30. 1853. Mr. Sparks is a son of Joseph and 
Mary (Gray) Sparks, both natives of North Carolina. In 1867 the 
father left the South and with his family located in Kansas. 

Seeking both adventure and greater opportunities, in 1875 young 
Marcus came to California, and first settled in the Sacramento Valley. 
He arrived in the state with just $8.25 for his capital, and $8.00 of 
that went for blankets, so he may be in all truth called a self-made 
man. For five years he worked along the Sacramento as (arm hand 
on different ranches. 

On Jiilv 9, 1880. Mr. Sparks came to Pomona \'alley. and here 
he immeiliately became a landowner, buying five acres for ranch pur- 
poses, and also working for wages, receiving the munificent sum of 
.$1.25 per ilav for his services. Later, he bought a team and wagon 
and did grading work, and setting out trees and vines. In 1886 he 
bought twenty-two acres of land near Pomona. On this property 
water was developed, two artesian wells sunk, with litty inches of 
water. This acreage became valuable ami he soKl the ranch tor 
$25,000, which sum gave him his start in business and on the road to 
prosperity. 

In the fall of 1889 Mr. Sparks bought Pomona property and 
built a home on Holt Avenue and .Main Street, and on December 20 
of that year he purchased twenty acres north of La \'erne. one-half of 
which he set to oranges. In the spring of 1890 he hauled the water 
in tanks to irrigate his orchard in its first year's growth. With the 
persevering spirit which makes for success, he kept adding to his hoUI- 
ings until he had 152 acres in proiluctive ranch property, built a 
packing house and established a pumping plant, overseeing the work 
with characteristic thoroughness and energy. 

Selling out his ranch holdings, in 1908 Mr. Sparks came ti) 
Pomona to reside, and became president of the San Antonio Meat 



288 HISTORY AND UK X'.RAl^HY 

Company, dealers in wholesale and retail meats, with a large modern 
packing plant covering twenty acres, on East Holt Avenue, and also 
maintaining the Palace Meat Market on Second Street, one of the 
most successful business enterprises in Pomona. 

For the past thirty-nine years an active and important factor in 
the development work being done in the Valley, Mr. Sparks has dem- 
onstrated at all times his loyalty to this section, and has taken a vital 
interest in pushing forward all movements for the ultimate good of 
Pomona antl surrounding territory. He has seen many changes in 
that time, for when he first came to the city he found but two small 
general stores in operation; in one of these the post office, about six 
feet square, was located. The settlement also boasted one saloon, one 
blacksmith shop and one little restaurant run by the little Spaniard, 
old Saboni, that all old-time residents will remember. Where most 
of the fine orange groves now stand was a desert waste, and it has 
taken all these years of ceaseless toil and untold expenditures to bring 
them up to their present stage of beauty and profit. To the men who 
ha\-e assisted in this reclamation work all praise is due, and future 
generations will ha\'e them to thank for proxiding the stepping-stones 
to even more wonderful work awaiting their hands. 

In the midst of his full and busy life, Mr. Sparks has found time 
to gi\-e to civic matters at all times, and also to further, as far as was 
in his power, the educational ath'antages of his districts. He was a 
trustee of the La\'erne grammar school, and was president of the 
board of trustees of the Bonita high school. In church luatters he 
serves as trustee of the First Baptist Church of Pomona. Among his 
other important business associations, he has been president of the 
LaVerne Citrus Association, and of the San Dimas Land and Water 
Company. 

Mr. Sparks was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Michael in 
Butte County, Cal., June 27, 1880. To this union were born: Nellie 
M., now Mrs. Levi Ehresman; Elsie, Mrs. William Keating; Minnie, 
who died aged nineteen months; Eva, Mrs. George E. Jones. Mr. 
and Mrs. Sparks ha\e eight grandchildren. 



DR. THOMAS COATES 

In the passing of Dr. Thomas Coatcs, September 8, 1900, Po- 
mona experienced a loss that (lepri\ci,l the comnuiiilty of a \-aluable 
promoter of the city's prosperity, and that his [ricn.ls and acquaint- 
ances deeply deplored. 

Doctor Coates was reared in the state of New York. I lis ten- 
dencies were in the direction of the medical profession, and in early 
manhood he was a stutient at Rush Medical College and at Ann Arbor, 
Mich., graduating from the former Institution witli the degree of 



IIIST()k^• AND IJIUCRAl'llV 2H'> 

-M. D. lie practiced his profession in Clarence, Iowa, and in ISS.^ 
canic to I'omona, where he, with Captain Smith, foiimled the lirst bank 
in the place, the Pomona N'alley Bank, of which he was cashier. This 
bank was later merj^ed into the I'irst National Hank of Pomona, with 
Stoddard Jess as president, and Doctor Coates as vice-president, which 
position he held until his death. Later he took up the practice of 
medicine in Pomona, in which profession he was associated with 
Dr. Frank Ciarcelon. 

He became very prominent as an exponent of the medical science 
and was recognized as a line practitioner. Progressive in his ten- 
dencies, he was one of the first men to plant orange trees in the Valley 
and sent to South America for the young trees. At one time he owneil 
Hve ranches in the \'alley. He was a large owner of Pomona real 
estate and a prominent man in the community. 

His marriage united him with Miss Sarah Kmma Cross, a native 
of Pennsylvania, who died .May 12, 1917. Five children were born 
of their union. The two older, Thomas and Fdith Rose, are ileceased. 
The surviving members of the family are: Mrs. Jessie Coates Burle- 
son of Pomona, Mrs. \V. I larokl Stokes of Pomona, and Charles M., 
an orchardist in Pomona \'alley. Doctor Coates was a member of the 
school board of Pomona and a trustee in the First Presbyterian 
Church. 

Mrs. Jessie Coates Burleson's husband. Dr. Frank D. Burleson, 
came from the northern part of the state and practiced dentistry in 
Pomona up to the time of his death, which occurred in August, 1900. 
He was born in Sutter Creek. Amador County. Cal., and was a member 
of one of the old pioneer families of the state. Flis father crosscil the 
plains with an ox team in the early days. Doctor Burleson was a mem- 
ber of the Native Sons of the Colden West. Thomas Coates Burle- 
son, the son of Doctor and Mrs. Burleson, is the only grandchild of 
Dr. Thomas Coates. 



FDWIN I P.M.MI K 

Numbered among Pomona's highly-esteemetl pioneers is F.dwin 
J . Palmer. Mr. Palmer is a New Knglandcr, and was born at Ston- 
Ington, Conn., May 10, 1854. Fie was educated in thj schools of his 
native state and as a young man learned the drug business and con- 
ductetl a drug store in his native city for ten years. 

He came to Pomona in 1884, which in those tiays was a small 
country village, and opened a grocery store in the old I'almer Block 
on Second Street. This block was one of the first two-storv buildings 
built m I'omona. Later he engaged in packing and shipping fruit. As 
an mdependcnt shipper he erected a small packing house and shipped 
fruit as far as old Mexico. He continucil this business for fifteen 
years, and in the meantime formed a partnership with ilaroKI C. 



2O0 lilS'PoRV AM) r.IoC.RAl'llN' 

Dcwcy in the real estate and huildins^ business. During the three years 
of liis partnership with Mr. Dewey they erected over twenty buildings 
in Pomona. 

During recent years Mr. Palmer has devoted his time to planting 
and dc\eloping orange orchards in the \'alley. He purchased twenty 
acres in Pomona Heights, planted the land to trees and tiisposed of 
ten acres of the property, retaining ten acres. He also owns an eight- 
acre orange ranch near Ontario, which is planted to \'alencia and 
Navel orange trees and which is in full bearing. 

His marriage united him with Miss Carolyn Huntoon, one of 
Idaho's nati\e daughters, and they are the parents of one chiki, a 
daughter named Patricia. In his religious associations Mr. Palmer is 
a member of the Congregational Church, of which is one of the 
charter members. 



JOHN W. ROMICK 

Early settlers of Pomona Valley, Mr. and Mrs. John W. Romick 
came there when what is now covered with the luxuriant green and 
fragrant blossoms of orange trees was arid desert land. The citrus 
industry was then in its infancy and it took stamina and perseverance 
to show results after years of labor and hardships. John W. Romick 
was born near Newman, Douglas County, 111., February 15, 1857, a 
son of G. W. and Frances J. (Ingrum) Romick. His parents were 
farmers in that state, and the father came to Pomona in 1900, at the 
age of seventy years, and engaged in orange growing, his death occur- 
ring ten years later, at the venerable age of eighty years. The mother 
survived him two years, passing away at the age of se\enty-six years. 

The eldest child in a family of six boys and six girls, John W. 
received his education for the battle of life in the public schools of 
Illinois and Kansas, the family ha\ing mo\ed to the latter state when 
he was a latl of eight years. After finishing his schooling he farmed 
for a time in Kansas, then came to California, in 1887, and settled 
in Pomona X'alley. He purchased land, improved a desert ranch and 
set it out to oranges. He made a success of this venture through per- 
severing industry and the thrift that goes into the upbuilding of any 
community, and later, in 1902, purchased his upper orange grove of 
twenty-seven acres, located on Cucamonga A\enue in Claremont. 
Here he built a comfortable residence and suitable farm buildings, 
setting out the balance, so that he now has a splendid gro\e, bearing 
fine fruit. To the care of this orchard he gives all of his time and 
best efforts. He has now spent thirty-two years in citrus culture and 
is one of the oldest orange grow'ers in the Claremont district. He is 
well pleased w'ith the locality, considering it the most satisfactory of 
any in the state. 





., Ur {Ao-'^'u^<i 



IIlSToRV \.\n I'.K )C.R. \l'll^ i^U 

Ilic marriage of Mr. Roniick on August 26, 1880, united him 
witli Miss Kia Brown, who was horn in Ingham County, Midi., a 
daughter of Dr. Marcus Everett Brown ami Idi/a M. (Walker) 
Brown, hoth born in Michigan. Dr. Brown was a prominent physician 
and surgeon, who afterwards dicil in Oregon. His wife died in 
Kansas. Mrs. Romick came out to Kansas in 1879, where she met 
Mr. Romick, the act^uaintance resulting in their marriage. Two chil- 
dren blessetl their union: I'.sthcr !■ ranees is a graduate of Pomona 
College and now is the wife of Stuart Wheeler of Claremont; and J. 
Ray, who died when thirteen months old. The family are members 
of the Congregational Church, and enter into the social and college 
life of Claremont. 

Since first making his home here, Mr. Romick has shown a deep 
interest in the development and upbuilding of the \'alley, and is 
counted as one of its representative citizens. While never seeking 
public office, he has been active in the civic life of the Valley, and in 
furthering educational and commercial advantages. He is a director 
of the First National Hank of Claremont, and also holds a like position 
in the El Camino Fruit Exchange. 



FRANK F. ADAMS 

A man of rare attainments and a successful orange grower of the 
Pomona \'alley is found in Frank E. Adams, who came to Pomona 
thirtv years ago and ever since has been closely identified with its best 
interests. A native of New York, he was born in \'ernon, Oneitia 
County, .May 6, 1852. He received a good education during his boy- 
hood, then entered Whitestown Seminary. New York, where he took 
a preparatory course. F.ntering Amherst College, Amherst, Mass., he 
was graduteil with the class of '75, and wears the gold key of the Phi 
Beta Kappa fraternitv of .\mherst. lie began teaching in I'allev 
Seminary at Fulton, N. ^'., after which, for two years he read law. In 
1878 he was elected a teacher in the Oahu College at Honolulu. Ha- 
waiian Islands, ami spent the next three years in that institution as 
teacher of Latin, Greek and mathematics. He resigned in 1881 and 
returned to the Unitetl States, and the followitig year entered upon 
a business career in Humbt)ldt, Iowa, where he continued successfully 
for eight years, disposing of his interests there to come to Pomona, 
Cal., in 1890. 

Upon locating here he at once entered into the spirit of the times 
and was interested in everything that hatl for its obiect the building up 
of the \'allcy. He bought a six-acre ranch on West Ilolt .Avenue, 
made \aluablc impro\ements on the property ami later added another 
five acres to his holdings when he purchaseil a place in the .Alvarado 
Tract. This was set to lemons, but later budded to oranges, and has 
pro\-cn a wise investment, as the gro\e is a tine proikicer, the land 



294 HISTORY AXl) lUOGF^Al'HY 

being \ery rich and adapted to citrus crops. To the de\elopmcnt of 
his holdings Mr. Adams has given much thought and is recognized 
as an authority on orange and lemon culture. 

The marriage of Frank E. Adams on June 30, 1885, at Clo\er- 
dale, Sonoma County, united him with Miss Caroline E. Jones, a native 
daughter, whose father, the late Rev. W. L. Jones, as a home mission- 
ary from the state of Maine, came to California, \ia Cape Horn, in 
1854, the trip being his weciding journey. He located in Campton- 
ville, Yuba County, then a thriving mining camp; later he held other 
charges in various parts of the state, and in 1878 went to the Hawaiian 
Islands, where for five years he was president of Oahu College. He 
returned to California and tlied at Cknerdale, Sonoma County, in 
1908, after an unusually interesting career and mourned by a wiile 
circle of friends. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Adams three children 
have been born : Myron 1"., who was attending Pomona College at the 
time of his death in 1908; Carolyn A., who is a graduate of Pomona 
College and is now a teacher of Spanish and Latin at the Bonita High 
School; and Eugene S., a graduate from Pomona High, who joineci 
the L^nited States forces in September, 1917, trained at Camp Lewis, 
and in July, 1918. went overseas with the Three Huntlretl Sixteenth 
Ammunition Train, Ninety-first Di\ision, and served nine months in 
France. He was on his way to the front when the armistice was 
signed. He was discharged as bugler at the Presidio in San Francisco 
on May 14, 1919, and is now at home in Pomona. 

Mr. Adams served for three years as a member of the Pomona 
Board of Education, one year acting as president of that body; he is 
an ex-member of the Pomona Library Board; secretary of the Currier 
Tract Water Company; was one of the organizers of what is now the 
Pomona Fruit Growers Exchange, and for years served as a director; 
and is a member of the Pilgrim Congregational Church, of which he 
served fifteen years as financial secretary, and was very active in the 
campaign for increasing the church membership. As a broad-minded, 
intelligent ami well-educated gentleman, Mr. Adams has wielded a 
strong influence for the betterment of the social, moral and educational 
conditions of this highly favored section of California, and he and his 
wife have a wide circle of friends in Pomona Valley. 



HIMON N. PIERCE 

One of the "old-timers" of Pomona Valley, and a man of true 
public spirit, Himon \. Pierce has been a worker for the advance- 
ment of this section for the past thirty years, and tkiring that formative 
period of the Valley's growth has given of his time and knowledge 
without stint to help develop its latent resources and bring them to the 
present state of perfection. Born in Chittenden County, Vt., October 



HISTORY AXn HIOGRAI'HV 2<)5 

28, 1858, Mr. I'icrcc is the son of John C. Pierce and Kuth (John- 
son) Pierce; the parents were farmer folk back in old \'ermont, and 
raised a family of five children. Ilimon N. was educated in the public 
schools of his home town, and began helpinji; on the farm from a lad 
and from eleven years of age paddlctl his own canoe. 

On reaching manhood, he worked as a sawyer ti\ e years, and 
also learned butter making anti followed that trade three years. I le 
then farmed four years, and after these occupations deciilcil to come 
West to newer fields. He arrived in California October 25, 1888. and 
in November of that same year came to Pomona. After locating here 
Mr. Pierce started to work for the Pomona Land ami Water Com- 
pany and has been connected with that company ami its successors ever 
since. He put in some time with the companv which supplieil the water 
for the Loop and Mescrve tract, this company later being known as 
the North Palomares Irrigation Company, and he is now superin- 
tendent of water for this company, looking after its property at the 
Canyon. He owns fi\e and one-half acres in the town of Claremont, 
on the corner of Third and Alexander, that he devotes to oranges anil 
lemons, and has made of it a beauty place. 

'l"he marriage of Mr. Pierce united him with .Miss Ciertrude M. 
Pierce, who. though of the same name, was of a different Pierce 
family. Two children have been born to them, Wright M., a photog- 
rapher by profession, and Salome, who resides with her parents. Mr. 
Pierce has been identified with all public movements during his many 
years of residence here, and numbers his friends by the score in the 
community. He is a great lover of the beauties and wonders of nature, 
especially of the mountain regions, and is an ardent hunter and fisher- 
man. In politics he votes independently, putting man before party. 



LRLDl-RICK J. SMini 

Among the pioneers of the \'alley who have weathered the vicissi- 
tudes of fruit growing in early days, Frederick J. Smith has labored 
faithfully to bring to success his efforts of a lifetime in this section of 
California, and can now look backward with pride in his achievements. 
A native of England, he was born April 12, 1861. in Bradford. York- 
shire, a son of George Belk and Margaret ( Russell) Smith, of English 
and Scotch extraction, the father a civil engineer by profession. They 
raised a family of four boys and an equal number of girls, and ha\ e 
both passed to their rewanl. The youngest son in the familv, I'red- 
erick J. was educated in the schools of I'.nglaml and in pri\ ate schools, 
graduating from International College, London. 

At the age of twenty, in 1881. after traveling o\er Southern Cali- 
fornia on horseback, he picketl out Pomona as the place for his future 
home, there being only three business buildings here at the time, a 



296 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

general merchandise store, postoffice, ami drug store. After his arri\al 
Mr. Smith at once began raising fruit, peaches, apricots, olives, pears 
and grapes, and shortly afterwards put in oranges, his oldest orange 
grove being thirty-one years old. In the early days water was at a 
premium, when it ran from the headwaters in an open ditch about nine 
miles to his tract, and fruit-growing was not the straight road to 
success it has grown to be in later days, and the young orchardist went 
through all the grief and worry and financial stress that is the common 
experience of the early deciduous fruit growers. Success hnally crowned 
his work, however, and he now has ninety-seven acres in orange 
orcharils, with a pipe-line system. He planted se\enty acres to grapes, 
then, water ha\ing been secured, he set out lemons, the fluctuating 
prices in deciduous fruits making them a hazardous undertaking in 
early days; from eighty dollars a ton they dropped to ti\'e and six, both 
peaches and apricots, though the establishment of canneries later let! 
to more profitable prices. The above prices show how hard it was for 
the early fruit grower to succeed. 

The wonderful growth of Pomona in the last thirty-odd years is a 
criterion of the sort of men who have been of the warp and woof 
of her progress, and Mr. Smith holds a deserved place in that galaxy 
of men. Since his first becoming a part of the community he has been 
an earnest worker for the better interests of this section of the state; 
for ten years he was president of the San Antonio Fruit Flxchange; is 
now president of the Growers' Fumigation and Supply Company; 
president of the Canyon Water Company; and \ice-president of the 
Pomona Fruit Cirowers Exchange. Also past president of the Chamber 
of Commerce, and is now a member of its board of directors. Deeply 
interested in the ad\'ancement of the ^'alley, he is a firm believer in its 
possibilities and has worked to make it the garden spot of the orange 
belt. A lo\'er of nature, Mr. Smith takes his recreation in mountain 
climbuig, and is a member of the Sierra Club of California, at one 
time climbing Mt. Whitney with these intrepid climbers, who are 
known throughout the coast for their feats. 

The marriage of Mr. Smith united him with Miss Louise Cary 
of Troy, N. Y. The Cary family came to America in the second ship 
after the Pilgrims, in early Colonial days, and the progenitor of the 
family in America, Deacon John Cary, was the first Latin scholar in 
Plymouth Colony. Two children ha\e been born to Mr. ami Airs. 
Smith: Dorothy Louise, a graduate of the University of California 
with the tlegree of B. S., ami of the Johns Hopkins Hospital of Balti- 
more, at home; and Russell Cary, who served his country in the World 
War in the heavy artillery and was doing intensi\'e training in France 
when the armistice was signed. He is now at home. Mr. Smith was 
very active on the first loan drive, worked for the Y. M. C. A. and 
the Red Cross war fund ilri\es ami has been chairman of all of the 



IIISTOKV AND i;i( )C.R.\|'1IN' .'"'" 

roll-call nicmlHTship drives tOr tlic Red Cross. Mrs. Sniitii was 
organi/.cr and active chairman of the activities of the Retl Cross 
during the war. in which Pomona seciireil an enviable recortl. 



c;i':oK(.i; nii.iMw 

A pioneer from the Iloosier State wlio has made his contribution 
toward the progress of I'omona ami vicinity in the ilcselopment ot 
water in this productive \'alley, is (jcorgc Dillman. favored both in 
his own career and the success of his children. He was born in Wayne 
County, Ind., on August 31, 1855, and when a young man moved with 
his family from place to place, living in Iowa. Missouri and Kansas. 
When he left the latter state in 1878 he located at St. Louis, Mo., ami 
there established a reputation for both ability and reliability in the 
service of the \'ulcan Steel Works. 

This reputation he very naturally cherishes, for he comes of the 
best of German and American stock, with family traditions linking his 
ancestors in the most interesting manner with our early history. On 
his father's side his forbears came to America from Germany in 1754 
and settled in Pcnnsvlvania, so that his great-grandfather was a soldier 
under Cieneral George Washington and wintered at \'alley lorge in 
that period described by President Wilson in his history, when he says 
that the services of Baron \'on Steuben, the (icrman patriot who came 
over to help the American colonists, and who drilleil Washington's 
soldiers, was a more valuable and important aid, it less spectacular, 
than that rendered by the Trench patriot, Lafayette. On his mother's 
side, his ancestors came over in one of the trips of the Mayflower. In 
time, George grew up in the harvest fields of the Middle West and hail 
his share in the prosperity of a country his forefathers had sacrificed 
so much for, in founding and defending. 

For twenty-five years after coming to Pomona — in 18S6 — Mr. 
Dillman followed well drilling with Palmer Ashton as a partner, and 
together they put down hundreds of wells in the Pomona Valley, in 
Orange County and in Pasadena. For the first fifteen years they de- 
pended upon hand tools, but later steam power was introduced, and 
then they were able to advance far more rapidly. -Among the wells 
sunk were those for the Consolidated Water Company of Pomona, the 
Pomona Land and Water Company, ami the Del Monte Water Com- 
pany, and they also put down many wells north of Claremont, ami for 
two years he was the superintendent of Sycamore Water Company at 
that place. One of the wells was for the Consolitlatetl Water Com- 
panv, when a fourteen-inch hole was drilled lor 850 feet. 

In recent years. Mr. Dillman ami his partner. Palmer Ashton. 
have been engaged in developing an orange and a lemon orchard in the 
Claremont section. When thev took hold of the area, a ranch of 



298 HISTORY AND TMOCRAl'HY 

twenty-three acres, it was raw land, but they set out seventeen acres 
in oranges and six acres in lemons, and although the trees are young, 
they are doing well and bearing handsomely. The same foresighted- 
ness and high business principles for which Mr. Dillman was long 
noted as a well-driller have made him an honored fellow ranchman. 

Mr. Dillman was married at St. Louis, Mo., in September, 1881, 
to Miss Sarah ] . Coons, a native of Kentuclcy, and three children have 
blessed the union. Stanlv went to Tampico, Mexico, and established 
a machine shop and boat-building plant, with which he has been very 
successful; Ethel married Samuel Gurnsey, and has one daughter, 
Francisca; while the younger child is Louise. The family attend 
the First Christian Church. Mr. Dillman belongs to the Modern 
Woodmen. 



WILLIAM HENRY BARTLETT 

An experienced and successful rancher and orange grower, who 
has always taken a deep interest in every rational movement to 
advance the best ami most permanent interests of Pomona Valley, and 
has never failed to contribute such assistance and cooperation as he 
could, is William Henry Bartlett, who was born in Cheshire County, 
N. H., on February 4, 1839. He grew up on a farm and attended 
the country schools; and in 1854, when he was fifteen years old, he 
accompanied the family to Iowa, locating first in Clinton and later in 
Scott County. 

Those were pioneer days for that state, when the country was. 
sparsely settled and men had to work hard, early and late, and imdergo 
Tiuich not altogether agreeable or easy to bear; and yet Mr. Bartlett, 
who later dealt in grain, cattle and hogs, all of which he raised in 
abundance and shipped in carload lots, became a prominent farmer 
and prospered so well that he remained in the state for thirty-eight 
years. He was a member of the Grange at Round Grove, Scott 
County. 

After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett settled in Victor, 
Iowa, in 1881, where they farmed for thirteen years,' after which one 
year was spent in Nebraska. Then, in February, 1894, they arrived 
in Pomona, and Mr. Bartlett, in partnership with his brothers, C. H. 
Bartlett, now deceased, and H. E. Bartlett, bought twenty-six acres 
of land in the Claremont section on East Cucamonga Avenue, and this 
they planted and developed into a fine orange orchard. Later they 
bought forty acres of unimproved land near Upland, which they 
planted to oranges and lemons; H. E. Bartlett withdrew from the com- 
pany and took twenty acres of the LJpland ranch as his portion of the 
property; and at the death of C. H. Bartlett the rest of the property 
was divided, W. H. Bartlett retaining the twenty-six acre ranch on 
East Cucamonga .'\venue, which he still owns. His home place, a fine 




Jt^./^iv^m^r" 



HISTORY AND lUOCKAI'l I V 301 

example of residential property, at 350 East 1 lolt Avenue, and ex- 
tending through to Center Street, has been the family scat tor many 
years; it is well improved with flowers, shade and ornamental trees 
and a few orange trees. 

On February 23, 1881, at Durant, Iowa, Mr. Bartlett was mar- 
ried to Miss Virtura A. Emery, a native of Fairfield, Maine, but who 
was reared and educated in Iowa from the age of thirteen. She has 
been an able helpmate and is the mother of three sons, Harry L., 
William E., who served on the Pomona exemption board during the 
war. and Edward F., who was stationed at Camp Kearny tor eight 
months. She is an active member of the Congregational Church aiul 
contributed to the efficiency of the Red Cross drives during the war. 
Now the sons are caring for the ranch and making their home there. 
For many years Mr. Bartlett served as a director in the E,l Camino 
Citrus Association of Claremont, and also of the Del Monte Water 
Company. 



ji:fferson m. ii \rii \w \^ 

A pioneer of California, and one of the \ery first to settle in this 
section of the state, Jefferson .M. Hathaway during his life took an 
active part in the growth of Pomona from its very beginning and 
lived to see its remarkable development from barren stretches of sage 
and cactus to the garden spot of Southern California. He was born 
in Jefferson City, Mo.. January 2. 1832. and when fifteen years old 
went to Eamar Countv, Texas. In 1853, with a brother and sister, he 
crossed the plains with ox teams to California; they drove a band of 
cattle on the long journey, and for a short time located at I''l Monte. 
Los Angeles County. From there the young pioneer went to San Ber- 
nardino County and bought a ranch on Warm Creek, east of San 
Bernardino, and engaged in ranching. Here his marriage occurred, 
February 16, 1860, to .Martha M. Russell, a native of Paris, Lamar 
Countv, Texas, and one year after his marriage he sold his ranch and 
went back to El Monte for three years; then to Rincon, San Bernar- 
dino Countv. where he bought 320 acres and farmed it for fifteen 
years, nine of which he served as justice of the peace. 

Southern Calif'ornia pro\ed the real magnet, however, and set- 
tling in .\/usa, Mr. Ilathawav bought 150 acres and engaged in 
ranching there for five years. In 1888 he came to Pomona and made 
this his home until his ileath, December 12. 1905. He bought forty 
acres on South White .Axenue and twenty acres near Chino: he first 
nurchaseil \]\e acres on White .\venue ami there made his home. He 
built several houses in I'omona, besiiles owning a number of ranches in 
Pomona ami Chino \'alleys, and in his dexelopment work he became a 
represcntati\e pioneer and upbuililer tor his community. lie was 

in 



302 HISTORY AXD BKJGRAPHY 

a member of the First Baptist Cluircii and highly esteemed by his 
many friends in California, and particularly this section of the state. 

j\lrs. Hathaway is also a pioneer, and to the pioneer women of 
the state, no less than to the men, are due the honor and respect of the 
generations that have followed, for without their faithful devotion and 
toil there had been no home carved in the wilderness nor civilization 
brought to the western frontier. As previously stated, Mrs. Hath- 
away is a native of Paris, Texas; her father, Hiram C. Russell, owned 
a part of the site where Paris now stands. A native of Tennessee, 
born in 1812, he crossed the plains to California with his family in 
1858 and practiced law in San Bernardino and later in El Monte, 
where he was justice of the peace; he was a Mason and a man of 
strong character, his death occurring in 1890. Hiram C. Russell 
married Louisa Standefer, born in Alabama, and besides Mrs. Hath- 
away, the other living children of this marriage are Virginia Russell 
of Pomona and Mrs. H. B. Briggs. Mrs. Hathaway relates many 
interesting experiences of early days in the \'allcy, when the country 
was a wilderiiess, inhabited by many lawless people; she passed 
through this section before Pomona was even thought of, and has seen 
all the changes wrought by ad\-ancing civilization. She is a member 
of the Christian Science Church and, like all pioneer women, has unu- 
sual breadth of character and has borne her full share in the making 
of this great commonwealth. 

Mr. and Mrs. Hathaway had eight children born to them, six 
sons and two daughters: William lived in Pomona, was a farmer, and 
died leaving five daughters; Hiram, living in Wintersburg, Orange 
County, is a rancher; Jefferson H. of Pomona is in the bicycle repair 
business; Charles W., who makes his home with his mother, was a 
rancher; George died aged twenty-four; Walter also is with his 
mother; Louisa P., Mrs. Weeks, near Ontario, has one daughter; and 
Anna, Mrs. Gardnei-, die^l and has one li\-ing daughter. 



PETER FLEMING 

An honored pioneer citizen of Pomona \^alley whose name will 
always be associated with one of the most important developments of 
the ^^alley is Peter Fleming, the founder of its water system. With 
James Beckett as a partner, he established the waterworks, built the 
waterways and formed the Sycamore Water Company, also the Con- 
solidated Water Company. 

Of old Eastern stock, Peter Fleming was a native of Vermont, 
and his wife, Margaret (Coleman) Meming, a native of Massachu- 
setts. They came to Spadra, Cal., in 1875, and Peter F'leming first 
engaged in the dairy business, later becoming interested in the bee 
industry. He was also an orange grower in Lordsburg, now La Verne, 



HISTORV AND lUOCRAl'l IV 305 

and in Mountain \ icw, with Cicor^c Roller as a partner, tlic linn name 
being I-'leming anil Roller. He maintained his interest in the water 
company uj-) to the time of his death, remaining siiperintemlent until 
that date, October 2, 1898. I lis widow survives him, with their six 
chiKlren : Mary A. and I']. J. Fleming, both born in the I'.astern state: 
William T., Fred A.. Frank X. and Walter, liorn in I'omona. 

F-'ratcrnally. Peter I'leming was a member of the Knights of 
Pythias. lie is remembered as a progressive anil public-spirited man, 
always ready to help in the advancement of Pomona, and to see her 
wonderful possibilities in the future and work to make them realities. 



WILLFVM S. TRUE 

A rancher and his wife who have contrlbuteti much to the ad- 
vancement of more than one department of California agricultural 
life are Mr. and Mrs. William S. True, who live on Howdoin Avenue, 
north of Foothill Boulevard, in La Verne. William S. True was 
born in La Salle County, 111., September 18, 1868, and comes of good 
old New England Revolutionary stock. His father, George A. True, 
now deceased, was a native of Massachusetts, and he marrictl Miss 
Eliza M. Stevenson, who was born in New Jersey. The parents, with 
their family, came to La \'erne in 1886, and George A. True bought 
ten acres of the famous Morris Keller ranch, then set out to grapes 
and prunes, and later he took out the vines and prune trees and set out 
oranges anil lemons. Mrs. George A. True has also passed away, 
leaving a blessed memory, the mother of two children, both of whom 
are in La Verne. Angle, now Mrs. Hartshorn, resides on the old 
home place, and William S., the subject of this review, is living on his 
wn ten acres of oranges and lemons, a grove formerly part of the 
\ ic. Keller ranch. This finely-developed ranch was also formerly set 
out to prunes, but they were grubbed out and citrus trees planted. 

Mr. True's property is indeed one of the most desirable In all 
this locality, possessing as it does a well and a fine pumping plant, 
installed at a cost of $8000. This unimpaired source and adequate 
machinery afford an ample supply of water for all possible purposes, 
and must always prove a valuable asset to those operating the farm. 
Mrs. True, who was Miss Edith Inez Smith before her marriage. Is a 
native of Coldvvater, Branch County, Mich. She Is a daughter of 
James and Catherine (Ames) Smith, both natives of Michigan, her 
father being the first white male child born In Litchfield, Hillsdale 
County. Her grandfather, Ilcrvey R. Smith, born in \ew Hamp- 
shire, was an early settler of Litchfield, and donated the land for the 
city park at that place. James Smith was a merchant in .Michigan. In 
1886 he moved to Santa Paula, Cal., and three vears later to Po- 



o 



30(1 ITTSToRV AXD lUOGRAl'ITV 

monn, where he resided Lintil his death in 1909. His widow survi\-es 
him and contiinies to reside on the old home phiee. Of the ten chil- 
dren born to this worthy couple, eight are li\ing. Mrs. True was the 
third, in order of birth, and she has a twin sister, Mrs. Ethel Line- 
barger. She was educated at the college at Adrian, Mich. Coming to 
California in 1888, she became a resident of Pomona in 1889, and it 
was here that she made the acquaintance of Mr. True, which resulted 
in theii- inarriage, which occurred on January IS, 1895, the ceremony 
being performed in Los Angeles. 

They ha\'e been \'ery successful in citrus growing as well as in 
raising Anglo-Nubian goats, an enterprise in which they both obtain 
much pleasure and keen enjoyment. Mrs. True was one of the organ- 
izers and the \ice-president of the Citrus Belt Milk Goat Association, 
and is one of the largest breeders of milk goats in Southern California, 
having sixty head on her ranch. She makes a specialty of Anglo- 
Nubians and her herd is headed by the famous buck. Banzai Abdallah, 
pure Anglo-Nubian No. P.-18 I. N. B. A., No. 642, A. M. G. R. A. 
Holly Todgc Shingle, his grandsire, was bred by Baroness Burdett 
Coutts, of Englanil, and he was imported nine years ago. and he is the 
greatest progenitor of the Anglo-Nubians of America. He sired the 
greatest milker known to the western world, B. Tallassae, which gave 
nine quarts a day. Abdallah's dam, Wigmore Brownie, No. P. -2 I. N. 
B. A., No. 464, A. M. G. R. A., was a pure-bred imported Anglo- 
Nubian doe of great renown, a producer of big rich milkers. Mrs. 
True also owns Silkie, No. G-422 I. N. B. A., three-fourths Nubian, 
one-fourth Saanen; sired by Holly Lodge Shingle, dam Bonanza Maid, 
No. G-256 T. N. B. A., a se\-en and a half quart milker. The Anglo- 
Nubians produce the richest, sweetest-fla\ored milk, from which but- 
ter may easily be made, and all the butter used on the True ranch is 
made from goats' cream. Mrs. True breeds and sells goats, many of 
which ha\'e brought high prices, and she has taken prizes at all the 
milk-goat shows in Southern California where she has had an exhibit. 

Mr. and Mrs. True are members of the Pomona \'alley His- 
torical Society and of the Claremont Pomological CUib, as well as the 
Society of Pomona Valley Pioneers. Mrs. True is descended from 
Revolutionary stock on both her paternal and maternal side, and par- 
ticularly on the latter from I'dijah Ames, P'benezer Pardee and the 
Wisners, who served in the Re\'olutionary War. She takes pride and 
satisfaction in being a member of the Pomona chapter of the Daughters 
of the American Revolution. The Trues take a live interest in the 
past of the N'alley, as they look forwanl to the future, and they are 
among those who feel the wisdom of preserving the annals of the neigh- 
borhood before it is too late. 



lllSn >RV AM) l'.l( K.RAI'IIV 307 

JOSl'.PII T. LAL'C.HI.IN 

An cntcrprisiiif; and very successful pioneer in the auto transfer 
and delivery tieKl is Joseph I". Lauglilin, for the past two decades 
familiar to residents of the Pomona Valley, for here he found the 
happv solution of his trouhles. It is no wonder, then, considerinp; that 
Pomona and vicinjty claim Mr. Lau^^hlin as their own. that he shouKl 
have become, in his increasing prosperity, one of the best "boosters" of 
this favored part of the Cjoldcn State. 

Mr. Laughlin was born in Adams County, 111., on January 1, 
1860, and in that \icinity was reared on a farm where, especially in 
those disturbed davs. there was little chance for an education, for he 
had to work early and late to assist his father. He really started in 
on the farm when he was nine years of age. ami it was not long before 
he was doing a man's work. His father had a threshing machine, ami 
every fall until he was twenty-two years of age. he a«4isted his father 
in running the same. 

He then started to farm for himself, renting lantl in dilifercnt sec- 
tions, his last place being a farm of 210 acres in Hancock County, 111. 
He started in a small way with one horse; but by hard work and intel- 
ligent application of his wits and experience to the problems of the 
hour, he made a success of grain farming and was doing well enough to 
encourage him to remain where he had risen. 

On December 28, 1884, Mr. Laughlin marrieil Miss Alice Cham- 
berlin. a native of Illinois and the daughter of Noah and Mary Jane 
(Riley) Chamberlin. and when her health failed it was necessary for 
him to take her to another climate. By good fortune, he had his atten- 
tion tlirecteil to Southern California ; and ha\ing sold out all his effects, 
in 1902 he left for Pomona. His first eiilploymcnt made him a driver 
of a city street sprinkler ownetl by a private person, and next he worked 
for the city in the same capacity, continuing in the municiiial ser\ ice for 
three years. I le then dro\ e an Orange Belt I'.mporium ilelivery wagon 
tor another three years, ami after that he went into the delivery busi- 
ness for himself. 

This line of activity he has now followed for a numiier of years, 
and he runs an auto-delivery truck, undertaking all kinds of trucking. 
His business has carried him all over the \'alley ami many miles be- 
yoml, especially to the beaches, but he has never lost his first love for 
Pomona, which he considers an ideal spot for both a comfortable home 
anil a profitable trade, with appreciative patrons. His wife, always 
the best of helpmates, has entirely recovered her health, so that no one 
could be more loyal than either she or he to Pomona. 

Mr. and Mrs. Laughlin have reared a large family of children: 
Elsie is the wife of E. L. LIndsey of Claremont. ami the mother of 
five children; Iloyd, the first-born ami a general favorite, dieil at the 
age of nineteen; Mabel is the wife of RIchartI Brown, of Long Beach; 



308 TIISTORV AND lllOGRAl'HV 

Florence has become Mrs. Robert Motts of Pomona ; Arno is an expert 
machinist and assisting his father; \'erner was a soldier, ha\ing enlisted 
in the regular army, in the 165th P^ield Artillery, at the Presidio in 
San Francisco, fi-om which place he was transferred to Camp Kearny; 
he saw eleven months' service on the battlefields of France, went over 
the top and was gassed, and he is still in the service, able to give a good 
account of himself; Aldo was born in Pomona, while Grace is a school 
girl. The family attend the Cavalry Baptist Church of Pomona, anci 
Mr. Laughlin belongs to the Loyal Order of Moose and the Modern 
Woodmen. On coming to Pomona, Mr. Laughlin bought a house on 
South Garey Avenue, and later he traded it for his present home at 
237 West Eighth Street. 



WALTER SHAFER 

Pomona has been fortunate in the quality of citizens who ha\e 
chosen this beautiful Valley as their homesite, and who have unselfishly 
worked to help their neighbor as well as themsehes. Among these 
may be mentioned Waiter Shafer, ^^■ho passed to his reward August 
18, 1911, but whose name is held in appreciative remembrance in the 
hearts of friends and neighbors who were associateil with him in the 
years of his residence in the Valley. A nati\e of New York state, 
^L•. Shafer was born about twelve miles from AFiddleburg, Schoharie 
County, January 3, 1855, and in that state he engaged in farming. 

In 1888 Mr. Shafer came West and settled in Pomona Valley, and 
soon after his arrival here purchased four and one-half acres of land 
on North San Antonio A\enue, which had been planted to Navel 
oranges and prunes, but he replanted to Na\-el and Valencia oranges 
and brought the property to a high state of improvement. Later, he 
planted ten acres to oranges for a Afr. Kelley, and still later became 
owner of that tract also, which he sold at a profit and continued in the 
de\-elopment of his original ranch. While developing his own prop- 
erty Mr. Shafer took an acti\e interest in the development of the com- 
munity as a whole, and he was president of the California Produce 
Company, one of the independent packing companies of the Valley. 
He was a director in the Kingsley Water Company, and a ili rector and 
stockholder in the Fraternal Aid Association, which erected the Opera 
House at Pomona. 

Together with John C. Deck, Mr. Shafer organized a fumigating 
concern when that method of obliterating the scale was first started, 
and they ran several gangs of men and had the largest outfit in the 
Valley, even going into San Bernardino County to operate. Mr. Shafer 
finally bought out his partner and operateil the business alone, and he 
was thus engaged at the time of his tleath. 

February 11, 1890, Mr. Shafer was united in marriage with 
Mary A. Northrup, a native of Michigan; two daughters were born 



HISTORY AND lUOCKAl'l h' .Ml 

of their union, Winifred May, a student at I'oniona College, ami 
Mildred Julia. Durinjj; his many years of resilience here .Mr. Shafer 
took an active part in church work in the I'reshyterian Church; and 
fraternally he was a meniher of the I'raternai Aid and of the K. O. 
r. M. A kind and obliging neighiior ami a true frienil through both 
adversity and spiritual trials, it is for these traits of character that his 
memory is held in loving esteem by his many friends in the community. 



CIIARLl S CLAKK 

One of the pioneer business men of Pomona who has taken part 
in the business affairs of the city from his first arri\al here, in 1S.S8, 
until his retirement from active duties, in 191.1. Charles Clark has 
watched the march of progress during that period and ditl his share 
toward the upbuilding of the community. He is a native of J-'nglaml, 
born in Chelmsford, February 6, 1848, a son of Benjamin and I'.mma 
(Auger) Clark, both now deceased. He received his education in the 
English schools and remained at his studies until ten years of age. At 
that early age he started in his business career, and worked at and 
learned the bakery trade, remaining in that business in his natise 
country until eighteen years of age. 

Mr. Clark then came to the United States, and locateil at Chicago 
for ten years, then removed to Des Moines, Iowa, and lived in that 
city twelve years. At the end of that time, in 1888, he came to 
Pomona and went into business for himself, remaining as proprietor 
of the bakery and restaurant he established until 191.1, when he soKl 
out to his sons and now lives retired from business affairs. 

The marriage of Mr. Clark, in Bcloit, Wis., September 2.1, 
1872, united him with .Miss Alice Pauline \N'ells, and three sons and 
two daughters were born to them; .\rthur. now deceased; I- rank, pro- 
prietor of the San Pedro Hakery, and Ralph, succeetiing his father 
in Clark's bakery in Pomona. The two girls died in infancy in Iowa. 
The family attend the Episcopal Church. With his wife and children, 
Mr. Clark made a visit to his old home in England to see his aged 
mother, and he and his good wife now live to enjoy the fruits of their 
years of industry in the beautiful valley where they worked for the 
better part of their lives, content in the knowledge of work well tione 
and lives lived for the betterment of their neighbors as well as them- 
selves. Mr. Clark was the pioneer baker of Pomona, in business con- 
tinuously for twenty-live years. Iraternally he is a Mason and a 
Shriner; a member of the Elks, of which he has been manager since 
1912; the Eoresters, and the I'raternai Aid. In politics he supports 
the Republican party. 



31_' inSTORV AXl) lUoCR AI'IIY 

CARLTON SEAVER 

To have been a good American citi/cn, active in the upbuilding 
of this great conunonwealth, and to ha\e reared a family with high 
American ideals and ecjually acti\e in putting these same ideals into 
practical use, is fame enough for any man, and any community may be 
justly proud to have in its boundaries so many of these families as has 
Pomona \^a]ley. Representative among them may be mentioned 
Carlton Seaver. Mr. Seaver was born at Rochester, N. Y., the son 
of B. E. and Mary J. (Pryor) Seaver, also of that city. He was 
educated at the public schools and so gi\en the foundation for his 
later career. 

While still a voung man, about 1870, Mr. Seaver became engaged 
In the mercantile anil banking business at Traer, Iowa. In 1884 he 
settled in Pomona and purchased land and planted an orchard, and 
In 1885 he entered the Pomona Valley Bank as president. 

Ill 1886 he converted that bank into the First National Bank, 
continuing as president, and the institution has had a large part in the 
de\elopment of Pomona Valley, in the husbanding of its resources and 
the laying of a sound foundation fcjr its future prosperity. During 
Mr. Seaver's term as president the bank building was erected, an event 
of importance and a milestone in the life of the city, for it was then 
the Hnest structure in Pomona. 

Resigning from the bank. In 1898, since that date Mr. Seaver 
has devoted his attention to his pri\ate interests and to the general 
welfare of his home community. His marriage, which occurred in 
Iowa, united him with Miss Mary Samuels, a native of New York 
state, and of their union six children were born, all of whom are 
graduates from Pomona College: Georgia Gladys is the wife of 
Dr. Roy E. Thomas of Los Angeles. Doctor Thomas is also a grad- 
uate of Pomona College. Mrs. Thomas studied in some of the best 
art schools and her talent in shown in the beautifLil paintings from her 
brush. Next in order of birth is Frank R., an attorney in Los An- 
geles, a graduate of the Law Department of FIar\ard University, and 
patriotic American, who. organized the Ninth Division of the Cali- 
fornia Na\'al Militia, and upon the entrance of the Lnited States in 
the war, enlisted in the Navy and was engaged in the con\oy ser\ice. 
He is practicing in Los Angeles. The third child, Byron D., is also 
a Har\'ard Law School graduate, an attorney of prominence in Los 
Angeles. He enlisted and passed the examination for a commission 
in the army. Homer C. received his degree of M.D. in the Medical 
Department of the University of California and enlisted In New York 
in the Medical Corps of the L'nited States Army and saw service in 
the Argonne and other hospitals at the front. He is now practicing 
in San Francisco. Marguerite, a graduate of Wellesley College and 
also of the Chalmers School of Dancing, was prominent in Y. W. 



IlISTOKV AXI) I'.K h;k Al'll^' .^\.'. 

C. A. work. She is supervising^ principal of hygiene ami physical 
education in the Los Angeles city schools. And the youngest of this 
promising family, Manila, is now taking a course in applied arts at 
CoKinihia University. 

.Mrs. Sea\er has always been prominent in dub work, serving as 
president of the Ebell Club of Pomona, and was state superintendent 
of the Southern California Division. She was also very active in Red 
Cross endeavors, especially in shop work during the World War. 
With such progenitors, the children could hardly fail to make their 
mark in the world, and it is to these representatives of Young America 
that we look for her future of unlimited possibilities. 



WILLIS A. NOK'ION 

That a man may do more than one thing well is demonstrated 
beyond doubt in the career of Willis A. Norton, the Claremont orange 
grower and plumber, whose property adorns the Base Line Road. He 
is a native son, and was born at Duarte on August 3U, 1884. His 
father was George Norton, a native ot Io\\a. who came to California 
in 1875 and located in Los Angeles: ami later he removed to Pomona, 
where he became identified with water tlevelopment in the Claremont 
ami Pomona districts. He hauled the lirst load of pipe that was used 
to develop water in the Kingsley Tract, and as a stationary engineer 
was employed on the Louil Ranch, at the pumping plant, ami later still 
was in the same capacity with the Del Monte Irrigation Company. I le 
was, too, the first engineer with the Claremont Domestic Water Com- 
pany, and he also planted an orange grove on the Base Line Road, 
where he erected a home and de\eloped water, which was in time sold 
to the \'alley \'iew Irrigation Company of Claremont. Ha\ing sold 
this ranch property, .Mr. Norton went to reside in Los Angeles. I lis 
wife was Miss Lydia I-Vench before her marriage, and she is now- 
deceased. 

Willis attended the public schools of Los Angeles ami the Pomona 
High School, and with Mr. Holt, the plumber of Claremont. he began 
the plumber's trade. From 1904 to 1917 he worked as a plumber in 
Santa Monica and Venice, and for ti\e years was foreman t<)i- I. 1 1. 
Jackson of Santa Monica. During his stav at that place, he workeil 
on many of the builiiings erecteil while X'enice was being built, and he 
also helped construct some of the finest eilitices in Ocean Park ami 
Santa Monica. 

In 1907. he bought ten acres of raw lami on the Base Line Roail 
north of Claremont, which he cleared, graded ami planted, with seven 
acres of Na\el oranges and three acres of lemons. Fn 1917, he re- 
turned to Claremont to make his home there and to lof)k after his 
orange ranch, and in the sumnier of 1919, he became manager ol the 



,^1-1 I1IST( )l<\ AND r.K h;KAI'II\' 

Hardy I'lumbing Shop in Clareniont. His expert knowledge of plumb- 
ing has always made him in demand, and he has thus done much to 
help build up the districts in which he has lived. The same ability to 
grasp the problems of ranching has assisted Mr. Norton to become 
one of the very successful citrus ranchers in the Valley. As early as 
1897 Mr. Norton constructed a bicycle and rode it in Los Angeles 
down Broatlway from Fremont Street. 

While at Santa Monica, Mr. Norton was marrietl to Miss Alice 
Coriell, a nati\'e of Kansas, whose parents were Julius D. and Jane 
(Hesser) Coriell. They ha\e one sfin, Robert C, and the family are 
affiliated with the Methodist Church. Mr. Norton is a Mason, and 
belongs to the Santa Monica Lodge No. 307, F. & A. I\L, and is also 
a member of Pomona Chapter No. 76, R. A. M. 



ELMER EUGENE ARMOUR 

A professional and business man of Pomona, whose successful 
career ought to inspire the ambitious youth of this and other California 
communities, was the late Elmer Eugene Armour, who died at his 
home in Pomona on May 1,1912. A native of Ohio, he was born at 
Chagrin Falls, September 25, 1861, the son of John Armour, a mer- 
chant tailor who lived to be ninety-three years of age. His mother 
was in maidenhood Polly Ward, and she was the second wife of John 
Armour and she pro\'ed the ablest of helpmates. 

Elmer Eugene received his schooling at the public schools in 
Chagrin Falls and early took up the study of pharmacy. At the age 
of se\'cn years he met with an accident that injured his leg and he 
was thus handicapped from joining with his mates in their more excit- 
ing anel strenuous games. After becoming a full-fledged pharmacist 
he continued at his calling at Chagrin Falls until the fall of 1887, 
when he came to California and settled in Pomona. He began here 
at the close of the first wild inflation in real estate, with slender finan- 
cial resources but with an ambition to succeed in business by following 
in the paths of honor and rectitude. He entered the employ of E. T. 
Palmer, and old-timers recall the marvelous industry, the perennial 
cheerfulness and the e\erlasting persistency of Mr. .XrmoLir in those 
days, thirty-two years ago. He won the respect of e\eryone about 
him and came to be recognized as a young man of sterling merit. 

About 1890, Mr. Armour bought the little drug business of the 
late William C. Hamner, who had a small wooden building for his 
business where the George & Harris hardware store now stands. 
From the cTay Mr. Armour took control, he prospered; for early and 
late he was at his business, he put his whole thought and zeal into his 
enterprise, he knew no weariness, and he was always genial and 
courteous. About two years later he mo\ed into the new Union Block, 



IIISTORV AND IIIOGRAI'IIV 317 

for his business had gone forward by leaps and bounds, and there he 
was in business for over twenty years. He was always successful, for 
a man of his character ami temperament could not help athaiuing 
and prospering in any field. I le was wrapped up in I'omona, her 
interests were his interests ami he gave liberally of his time and means 
to further every project that had for its object the ailvancement of 
the business, social and educational growth of the entire N'aliey. I le 
was one of the organizers of the Home BiiiKlers Loan Association 
of Pomona, was eiecteii its first presitient and continued in office until 
he diet!. 1 le was a prominent Odd Fellow, Knight of I'ythias and held 
membership in several other fraternal orders. In the passing of 
E. K. Armour, therefore, Pomona lost a citizen of peculiar antl unde- 
niable worth. "He was," as the Pomona Rfzifn- saiti of him "honest, 
upright, prudent, loyal and wise. He has been in every movement 
for the betterment of his town and State. He has been a liberal and 
charitable giver, a man of good deeds and steadfast purpose. I le was 
a true friend, quiet and domestic in his tastes, of strict integrity and 
strong patriotism." In politics he was a Republican. 

On December 11, 1881, l'.. F'. Armour was united in marriage 
with Miss Cora Myers, daughter of Henry and Louisa (Boardman) 
Myers, anti they had two children born to them: Harry Willard, 
born at Chagrin Falls, Ohio, who attended Pomona College and 
graduated from the University of California, Department of Phar- 
macy, where he also did post-graduate worlc later. He continues the 
business established by his father in Pomona: he married Sue 
Wheelock and they have a son Richard Willard Armour. The second 
son, John Lester, was born in Pomona, attended Pomona College, went 
to PennsyKania, where he graduated from the Uni\ersity of Penn- 
syhania as an architect, and also receixed his Bachelor of Science 
degree. When war was declared against Germany he enlisteii in June, 
1917, ha\ing spent three months — from April until June — umler 
go\ernment direction studying in the ordnance de[)artment, in which 
he later was commissioned first lieutenant ami ser\ed one year in 
France with the L'niteti States forces. 



jniTV WIBFR 

With the passing years the ranks of the California pioneers are 
being rapidly depleted, but the inestimable service reni.ierei.i to succeed- 
ing generations entitle them to the honorable place accorded them in 
the annals of history antl in the hearts and mimls of their successors. 

Among the pioneers of Pomona \'alley, the late John Weber is 
worthy of special mention. He was born in Clinton County, III., June 
14, 1855, and reared on the farm anil secured his early eilucation in 
the neighboring district schools. Later he attended Westland College, 



318 HISTORY AXI) I'.IOGRAI'IIV 

at Warrington, iVlo., and for eight years taught school in his native 
state. He came to Pomona November 15, 1887, and purchased the 
Pomona Soda Works, supplementing the business with an agency for 
the Pomona Ice Company. For two years Frank Martin was his 
partner. Later Mr. Weber ran tlie business alone for a number 
of years, at 15(^ Main Street, and linally disposed of the works 
and retired. 

In 1880 he was united in marriage with I^Hzabeth Koob, a nati\e 
of Clinton Count\-, 111., and six children were born of their union. 
Philip H. graduated from the Pomona High School and Cooper 
Medical College at San Francisco. He is a practicing physician of 
Oakland, Cal., and married Miss Ruby Hughes of San Francisco. 
Fraternally he is a Mason and an Elk. Edna is the wife of L. H. 
Bro\\ning, and the mother of three s.ons. Bertha is a talented 
musician. She gratluated from the Pomona High School, attended 
Pomona College and the University t)f Southern California, studied 
organ under Prof. W. F. Skeele of Los Angeles and Professor Butler 
of Pomona College and was organist at Trinity Methodist Church, 
Pomona, for six years. She is a composer of music and an artist on 
the pipe organ. At present she is teaching music at Giant, Cal. John 
R. is a graduate of Pomona High School and of the LJniversity of 
Southern California Law School. He did newspaper work in Fresno, 
and enlisted in the war from Fresno. He was sent to Camp Kearny, 
joined the Fourth Division, and was attached to the One Hundred 
Fifty-se\-enth Ambulance Company and the One Hundred Fifteenth 
Sanitary Train, stationed at Toul, France. He reenlisted and is now at 
Coblenz. Frances, a graduate from the Pomona High School, is in 
the employ of the Southern Pacific in San I'rancisco. Olive L. died 
at the age of eighteen. 

Mrs. Weber is prominent in Pomona social and fraternal circles 
and is a member of the Ehell Club and associated with several frater- 
nities. Mr. Weber died September 1,^, 1912. He was a man of fine 
education, kind and genial in his disposition, an upright and pro- 
gressive citizen and had many warm friends. 



FRANK L. PALMER 

A well-tranied, practical orange grower, familial- with the latest 
scientific methoils in advanced agricidture, and highly favored through 
a valuable experience in positions of responsibility, is Frank L. Palmer, 
who was born in Stonington, New London County, Conn., on March 
31, 1852. • When only seventeen he came west to Califoi-nia, and for 
thirteen years was a resident of Oakland. He was long attached to 
the United States Surveyor-General's office, and was also secretary 
of a large corporation in San Francisco. 



HlSTokV AND liloCKAI'IIV .^pi 

Haviiijjrinadc a reputation for frf"Kl jiKifrment and exceptional 
e\eciiti\e ability, Mr. Palmer came to Pomona in 1SS3 as the secretary 
and treasurer of the Pomona Land and Water Company, an enter- 
prisinjr concern that had just been formed; ami that position he held, 
representing the business end of the company, until 1891. when he 
resigned to take the management of the Seth Richards Ranch in North 
Pomona, and here he grew and brought up to a profitable bearing age 
a grove of 25,000 orange trees and maintained that grove in profit- 
able condition for more than twenty years. When it became desirable 
for the executor of the Richards j-lstate to dispose of this property, 
Mr. I'almer organized a company known as the Richartis (Jrange 
Gro\e Company, purchased the property and then began its subdivision 
into smaller parcels. Ilis associates in business were I). C. Crook- 
shank, K. L. Somers, H. J. Nichols and .\. P. Nichols, and they are 
among the largest growers of oranges in the \'alley. 

Besides sharing In this responsible undertaking. .Mr. Palmer is a 
director in various irrigating companies in the district, associated with 
the Pomona Land and Water Company. lie is also vice-president 
and director of the Indian Hill Citrus Association of North Pomona. 
He has his own orange groves in the \'alley, and has personal interests 
in Tulare Countv. 

While at Oakland, in 1879. .Mr. Palmer married Martha L. 
Belcher, a daughter of Frederick P. Belcher, born in San Francisco 
and a descendant of an early pioneer familv that crossed the great 
plains in the still more strenuous days of '49. Five children have 
blessed the fortunate union; Franklin C. being the eldest, succeeded 
by I'rederick B.. Donald Day. Roger Sherman ami (iertruile, who 
served in France, active in base hospital work. The last three are 
graduates of Pomona College, of which thorough institution .Mr. 
Palmer was trustee foV a number of years. He is a charter member 
of the Pilgrim Congregational Church of Pomona, although at present 
a member of the Congregational Church of Claremont. 



MRS. ELLEN I) WI STER.M.XN 

One of the pioneer educators and for nianv vears principal of 
Lincoln School, Mrs. I'lllen D. Westerman is well and favorably 
known in Pomona. She is a native of La Crosse County, Wis., where 
she was educated in the public schools, and taught school in La Crosse 
for three years. 

When she came to Pomona, in December. 1887, she was Mrs. 
Ellen D. Kibbee, a widow. She began teaching in the public schools 
of Pomona in September, 1888, and has served under everv citv super- 
intendent of schools since. She has been a grade teacher in the Tenth 
Street, the Central and KauHman schools, and has been principal of 



310 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

Lincoln School since 1909. Four years after coming to Pomona she 
married H. B. Westerman, pioneer attorney of Pomona, of the Hrm 
of Westerman & Broughton. He was a native of Texas, and when 
a small child crossed the plains to California with his parents. After 
completing his schooling he studied law in the San Francisco School 
of Law, and came to Pomona in the early days, where he practiced 
for years. He was a prominent Mason, and ilied in 1894. 

Mrs. Westerman's only child by her first husband is now Mrs. 
Marjorie K. Deay of San Bernardino County, and the mother of two 
children, Dudley and Doris by name. By her second husband, one 
daughter, Dorothy Estelle Westerman, was born; she died when 
twenty-one, on January 1, 1915. 

Mrs. W^esterman is a member of and secretary of Pomona 
Chapter No. 110, O. E. S., is a member of the Episcopal Church, and 
is acti\e in Reil Cross work. 



JOHN E. ADAMSON 

A thrifty citizen of Pomona who has always felt a deep interest 
in and affection for the thriving town ever since he came here to settle 
in the late eighties, is John E. Adamson, the experienced orchardist in 
charge of the Lemon House at the Pomona I'ruit Growers' Exchange. 
He was born near Guelph, Ontario, Canada, on December 31, 1867, 
the son of Thomas Adamson, the brick manufacturer. His wife was 
Lydia Shepherd before her marriage, like himself of English nation- 
ality; and both are now deceased. There were nine children in the 
family, and John is the youngest of the two boys. He began his educa- 
tion in the excellent public schools of Canada, and later studied assidu- 
ously pri\ately. He first took a course in mechanical engineering, then 
in electrical, and later studied hydraulic work. Coming to Pomona in 
1888, he has always considered it his home, although his professional 
work frequently took him far away. 

Mr. Adamson was engineer for the San Antonio Power Com- 
pany in 1894, then worked for the San Diego Electrical Railroad 
Company, beginning with 1896, and the San Diego Land and Town 
Company in 1899. In 1901 he returned to Pomona as engineer for 
the Del Monte Irrigation Company, with which concern he continued 
for h\e years. 

In 1906, satisfied that he had worked long enough for the devel- 
opment of other people's interests, Mr. Adamson decitled to gi\e all 
of his time in the future to the improxing of his own groves; and being 
spleiuiitily fortified through study and practical experiment, has been 
able to bring his holdings to a high state of cultivation, and to make 
ol his ranch properties show places worthy of the great show county. 
This reputation lor experience and success and a li\e interest in the 





■vTi^'y^ Q^. ,i/^^^^•<«'^^'Z<^^zr-v^ 



HISTORY AM) I'.IOC.KAI'IIN .^_M 

progress of California has naturally brought about a ilcniaml lor Mr. 
Ailanison's scr\ ices in the Chamber of Commerce ; nor has he failed to 
give his heartiest cooperation there. 

In Pomona on July 1 1. 1S92, Mr. .\ilamson was marrieil to Miss 
Margaret W. Keid; aiul three chiklrcn have blesseil their union. John 
Edgar was in the L'nited States Medical Corps at the I'resiilio Ikise 
Hospital; Helen Frances is attending the higli school; ami Dorothy R. 
is in the Tunior high school. Mr. Adamson is non-ilenomlnational, 
but he and his family seek to support all Christian endeaxor. 

In national politics a Republican, Mr. Adamson seeks to make 
civic duty something above partisanship. He served two terms as a 
member of the Pomona School Board, and he has been president of 
Orange Grove Tract Water Company since 1907. I'oml of both fish- 
ing ami mountain climbing, Mr. Adamson favors the cultivation in 
our popular education of "a sound mind in a sound body." 



MRS. sviA i.\ i.rciij; powj-rs .mam.i:y 

The American people proudly boast that the public school is the 
cradle of their free institutions, but it is to the pedagogue who rocks 
that cradle that credit must be given for the potent influence in shaping 
the future of American manhood and womanhood. 

Among the pioneer teachers in Los Angeles County, Mrs. Syl\ ia 
L. Powers Manley is a worthv rcpresentati\e, for she has taught in 
the public schools of Pomona for twenty-three years. She is a native 
of (Jreen Lake County, Wis., and is of Scotch lineage. Her father. 
Dr. James MacNish, was a physician who came from Philadelphia \ia 
I'ort Dearborn, now Chicago, to Wisconsin in pioneer days, crossing 
the country by ox team, ami was one of the first medical practitioners 
in Wisconsin. He took up land upon which the town of (jene\a nf>w 
stanils. His father before him was a physician and surgeon in the old 
country. Mrs. Manley was cducateii in the public schools of Berlin, 
Wis., graduated from the high school and took a three years' course 
in the Berlin, Wis., Normal School. She taught in the high school 
of Bay \'iew district in Milwaukee, and also in the high schof)l at 
Omro, Wis. 

She was been twice married. Her first husband, S. W. Powers, 
was a native of Ohio, who locateil at Kearney, Nebr., where he was 
general stock agent for the Union Pacific Railroad. He was killed 
in a railroad accident in 1887. He was the father of her three sons, 
James McXish Powers, deceased, who founded the Powers Shoe Com- 
pany of Pomona, and who left a wife and two children, .Marlyn and 
Maxine; Sihon W. Powers, who attemletl Pomona College anti is now 
associated with the Santa Barbara Daily News; and Walter F., who 
is manager of that publication. 



324 II1S'1X)R\- AM) IU( K'.RAIMIV 

Mrs. Manley was a widow when she came to California, in 1890. 
In 1891-92 she taught school in Ontario, San Bernardino County, and 
in 189.^ came to Pomona, where she taught school until June, 1915, 
and left a record to he proud of. She was principal of four different 
schools at Pomona, and has served under all of Pomona's school 
superintemlents except the first one. She made a specialty of physiology 
and history. She was a deaconess of the Congregational Church for 
a numhcr of years, and for ten years was treasurer of the Pomona 
Chajiter of Eastern Star. She is a member of the Ebell Club and 
takes an active interest in educational matters and in all affairs per- 
taining to the welfare of Pomona, where she has many stanch and 
warm friends. 



SAMUEL SANDERS BECK 

Among the newer population being formed in the state, it is 
becoming more and more of a rarity to find a family descended from 
the oKl Argonauts of the "days of '49"; that Interesting and romantic 
perioil in the state's history when men and women bra\-ed the perils 
and hardships of the long journey to the land of their dreams. Some 
realized their \isions; others settled down to the more prosaic callings 
of agriculture ami business, and these were the real builders of the 
state, who laid the fouiulation for its present ranking as one of the 
richest in the Union. 

Samuel S. Beck is the representative of one such family. Born in 
San Francisco, July 29, 1861, his father, Nathaniel A., came around 
the Horn in a sailing vessel, in '49, from Boston, Mass., and followed 
mining for a time, later engaging in the tanning business in San Fran- 
cisco. His mother, Elizabeth P'ield before her marriage, crossed the 
plains to California in 1847, and here their marriage occurred, a young 
couple starting in life In a new and totaly different surrounding from 
that of their rearing in the older cities. Samuel S. was educated in the 
|)ublic schools of San Francisco, attending the Lincoln Grammar 
School. He later came south to Porterville, Tulare County, and there 
followed the mercantile business for three years. He then went to 
San Bernardino, and there followed his trade of painter, which he had 
learned in San Francisco and worked at in his native city for a time. 

From San Bernardino, Mr. Beck came to Pomona, in 1887, and 
worked for the (Jakes Brothers, painting contractors, and later engaged 
m painting contractmg for himself, anci for a nmnber of years he did 
practically all of that sort of work done In Pomona, employing from 
twenty-two to twenty-fi\e men. Fie contracted for the painting of the 
First National Bank Building, and many of the fine homes and build- 
ings In the city and surroiniding territory. In Claremont, he secured 
the contract for the painting of the Pomona College buildings. 

Since 1905 Mr. Beck has been engaged in sign painting In 



HISTORY AND nKJCRAl'lIV 327 

Pomona, doing c\crytliing in that line ot work, incliitling wimiow 
lettering, store signs and banner illustrations. 

The marriage ot iMr. Beck united him with Miss Naomi Witlield, 
a nati\c ot I'.nglantl, and they resiile in the home which Mr. Beck 
erected on North (iordon A\enue, where he also owns live building 
lots. Kraternally, Mr. Beck is a member of the Foresters and of the 
Pomona Lodge, No. 789, B. P. O. lllks. A man of substantial aims 
and sound business judgment, he has matured two scries of shares in 
the Mutual Building and Loan Association, considering this system 
of investment both safe anil profitable and worthy of support. Mr. 
Beck is one of Pomona's most loyal citizens, and in his estimation the 
\'alley is unsurpassed as a place of residence, providing as it does both 
an ideal climate antl home surrounilings, and with progressive and 
enterprising business establishments to form a nucleus for the fertile 
Valley. He is public spirited and takes pride in fLirtherlng the 
upbuilding of this section of bis native state. 



jf)n\ ni'NRv i.i:i", 

In nothing more perhaps, and with swifter strides, has Cali- 
fornia come to the front than in the science of horticulture, for which 
rapid advancement and definite accomplishment it must thank, among 
others, John Henry Lee, the well-known fruit grower of San Dimas, 
who takes pride in the fact that he is a native son of the (iolden State 
and who has always proved his loyalty to the laml of his birth. He 
was born in Blucher \'alley, Sonoma County, on November 20, 1852, 
the son of William (i. and Alethea A. (Ross) Lee. both natives of 
Ohio and early settlers of Oskaloosa, Iowa. They came across the 
plains in 1849. the glorious year of the Argonauts, traveling slowlv 
by ox teams, and once in the Promiseil Land, settled at Placerxillc. 
Later they went to Sonoma County, and for a while they utulerwent 
all the gripping experiences, hard times, privations and suffering of 
the "49ers. 

Mr. and .Mrs. Lee were the parents of ten children, among 
whom John I lenry was the eighth in order of birth. The lad attended 
the public school in Bloomfield for a while, but having to go to work 
early he learned the printer's trade on the Salinas Sltnidurd, beginning 
at the early age of fifteen, and he assisted in getting out the first edition 
of the first paper published at Salinas. He also worked at Bakers- 
Helil in 1871 on the Smillicru Ctilifnniitin, now the Califoniidii, aiul 
wherever he tollovveil his trade he won a reputation for thorough and 
superior work. He next started the Kcni ('.nuiit\ RcorJ at Bakers- 
field, which he edited ami published until 188.^. when be sold out to 
the Bakersfield (itizrllr. When he came to Pomona X'alley in 188.^ 
he establisheil the I'dinona ('.niiriri, a live newspaper oi its time. 

17 



328 HISTOR^■ WD P.IOGRAPHV 

Later it was merged with the Ti)ii<'s and piihhshed 
Timcs-Coiir'u'r and Mr. Lee was connected with its publication tor 
thirteen years. He was then engaged in the real estate business for 
a period of fi\e years and for twehc years was city recorder of Po- 
mona. He has aluavs been a tireless and uncompromising worker 
for the cause of temperance anci as city recorder or police judge he 
had some of the most bitter trials in connection with the illicit sale of 
liquor, in all of which he was true to his oath of office and the decisions 
he rendered were the means of ousting those engageti in the illegal 
traffic. His record was that of a far-seeing, painstaking and strictly 
reliable official who believed that "public office is a public trust" and 
allowed nothing to interfere with his discharge of his duty as he saw it. 

As the years went by Mr. Lee acquired \-aluable acreage in the 
heart of the city of San Dimas, and in the inter\'ening period of nearly 
twenty years he has tie\-eloped a fine orange gro\"e. Although well 
known among the old-timers of Pomona, and enjoying many ties such 
as would naturally bind him to the city, these San Dimas interests led 
him, about 1911, to remo\e to that growing city; and with its affairs 
he bills fair to be more and more associated in an important way. 

In {874, at Bakersfield, Mr. Lee was married to Miss Belle 
Gage, a native of Stockton and the ciaughter of Orris Charles and 
Ann Eliza (Farner) Gage, born in Kentucky, who were pioneers of 
Stockton, where the mother died. The father afterwards remo\ed to 
Kern County and passed away at Kern\ille. The youngest of a family 
of four children, Mrs. Lee was educated at Stockton and Modesto, 
and when se\enteen years of age she came to Bakersfield, where she 
met and married Mr. Lee. Mr. and Mrs. Lee are the parents of 
tour daughters: JXh's. Ora Mills of Lawndale. Mrs. Winnie John- 
son, Mrs. Hazel Williams, and NL'S. Gretta Foresman of Los An- 
geles. One of the agreeable rewards of so many years of strenuous 
activity is the high esteem in which Mr. and Mrs. Lee and their 
family are held. 



CAPT. FRAXKLL\ COGSWELL 

It is true that when an individual is endowed by nature with the 
valuable traits of determination and perseverance their success in life 
is usually a foregone conclusion. These characteristics were dominant 
in the character of the late Franklin Cogswell, veteran of the Civil 
War and pioneer of Pomona \'allev. He was born in Connecticut, 
November 14, 1S38, and brought up in his native state. He served 
with the Thirteenth Connecticut Regiment throughout the Civil War 
with distinction and was atlvanced to the rank of captain. After the 
war closed he saved up $3000, with which he went South, bought mules 
antl hired eight negroes, intending to raise cotton. The negroes died 



TTISTORV AM) UK K'.KAI'l 1 V ?,2'> 

of cholera anJ he lost all of his money in the \ entiire. havin^r nothing 
left of value hut his shotgun. 

I lis hrother ami father came to California in ! 854 \ ia Cape Morn 
ami located in Lake County. Franklin wrote them of his misfortune 
and the hrother sent him money with which he joineil them in Lake 
County. After spemiing six mcjnths there he located at Sacramento 
ami taught school for eleven months. With the money thus saved he 
went to Montana and in\ested in a hand of sheep, hut ill-fortune still 
pursued him, and in three months' time he lost all of the sheep by 
death. lie realized $30(1 from the wool that he picked from the dead 
sheep, and with this money came to l^)mona \'allev in I 874. Despite 
the reverses that he had experienced, he was determined to succeed, 
and perseverance ami determination won the day. He passeii through 
the \ alley to Chino (ami once remarket! that he would not ha\e given 
fifty cents per acre for the land at that time), and engaged in sheep 
raising. This time he met with success. In the early days there were 
few houses in the \'alley and they were far apart, and he herded his 
sheep all o\er the \'alley. I'rom that time he prospered and increased 
in store. After a few years he sold his sheep and located in Pomona, 
where he became a stockhohier in the First National Bank, of which 
he was also director. In the meantime, he bought thirteen acres of 
land south of Pomona, which he planted to alfalfa and later set to 
walnuts. This was the family home for more than twenty-five years, 
or until the children were ready to enter Pomona College, when he sold 
this property and moved to Claremont, where he built a home and 
passed the rest of his days in retirement from the active duties of life. 

He was married in Pomona. March 24. 1886. to .Miss Mary 
Morena Vultee. a native of Xew York, who came to California in 
1885. Fwo children were born of their union, a son and a liaughter. 
Theresa, a \ery talented young woman, graduated from the Pomona 
High School and from Pomona College, after which she attended the 
Lmerson College of Oratory, Boston, Mass.. and was teacher of read- 
mg and dramatics in the Los Angeles Normal School for three years. 
During the World War she went to Camp Kearny in V. M. C. A. 
work, ami later went to France as a canteen worker in the V. M. C. A.; 
still later, she was with the Army of Occupation in Germany. The 
only son. Franklin. Jr., attended the Pomona High School and is a 
gratluate of Pomona College, supplementing this with a business course 
m Harvard College. He entered the One Humireii I'ortv-fourth Field 
Artillery at San Francisco and was with them at Camp Kearny. Later 
he was transferred to Battery F, Seventh FieKi Artilierv. L'. S. A., and 
sent to France in June, 1918. He took part in the late battles of the 
war, was at the front in active ser\ ice up to the dose of the war, then 
became a member of the .Army of Occupation in dermany. After his 
discharge, in (.ermany. he engaged in V. .M. C. A. work there, where 
he now is. 



330 HISTORY AXD r.loGRArilY 

Fraternally, Mr. Cogswell, Sr., was a Master Mason, and in 
his religious associations was a member of the Unitarian Church. He 
tlied at Pomona in 1911. Mrs. Cogswell is a mcmher of the First 
Baptist Church at Pomona and also a member of the Order of Eastern 
Star, and active in Kcd Cross work. 



B. A. WOODFORD 

The life work of B. A. Woodford of Claremont, former general 
manager of the California Fruit Growers Exchange, is so closely 
interwoven with the history of cooperative marketing as exemplified 
by that body, that his name will always stand out clearly and promi- 
nently as one of the earliest and most forceful leaders this great move- 
ment has had. The work of these public-spirited men has made 
possible the present prosperous condition of the citrus industry in 
Southern California, and no praise is too great in recognition of their 
imselfish labor in bringing to completion this gigantic scheme for the 
protection of the citrus industry. 

Born at Westhaven, Hartford County, Conn., in 1860, Mr. 
Woodford was educated in the public schools of Hartford, and we 
next hear of him in the Ozark district of southwestern Missouri. 
There he engaged for eight years in farming and stock raising. The 
New Englander, howe\er, could not "be shown" by Missouri that 
corn at twenty cents a bushel and fat hogs and cattle at three cents per 
pound pointed the high-road to fortune, and he turned toward the West 
as a more promising field for his endeavors. 

Coming to California in 1888, Mr. Woodford first settled at 
Upland, then North Ontario, and the next five years, being a period 
of great citrus planting in the state, we find him engaged in grading 
lands and planting orange groves for himself and others. He soon 
saw that the marketing of the products would be the big business of 
the country, and with others organized the Lemon Growers Exchange 
at Upland, the first association of lemon growers in California and 
which has been in continuous operation ever since. At that time the 
commercial packer would not handle lemon shipments East, claiming 
that the fruit would not keep and could not be successfully sold in 
competition with the Sicilian lemon. 

In 1 896, on the election of President McKinley, Mr. Woodford 
saw the opportunity for obtaining an adequate duty on oranges and 
lemons as a help to a struggling industry, and through his activities 
a iTiass meeting of citrus growers was called and a committee of seven 
appointed, one from each of the southern counties. As a result, a flat 
duty of one cent per pound on citrus fruit was obtained. In that same 
year the Ontario-Cucamonga Fruit Exchange was formed, with Mr. 
Woodfortl as manager, and tluring his term of office the citrus 



I^ST<»K^■ AND r.K X'.KAI'IIV 331 

Diitpiit in the district was increased from virtually nothing to sonic 
2500 cars annually. 

In September, 1904, the California Fruit Growers Exchange 
resumed operations, with Mr. Woodtord as general manager, and for 
eight years he held this position, in which the work of a lifetime was 
crowded, with the usual penalty, impaired health for the worker, and 
he retired to devote his time to developing several groves in the La 
\'erne district, his ;\mbition being to produce one and one-half cars 
per acre, and he has very nearly reached this productiveness in his 
orchards; using the most scientific methods of cultivation and sparing 
no expense to get results. 

In 1908, Mr. Wnodford assisted in getting the upholding of the 
citrus imlustrv in the country again before Congress, and the duty on 
lemons was increased to one and one-half cents per pountl, which 
helped materially in further development in the state, the output now 
reaching 10,000 cars annually. This effort was put through by the 
Citrus Protective League. 

I he marriage of .Mr. Woodford, on May S, 1 8iS9, united him 
with Miss l*]mma B. LLirwood, and five children have been born to 
them: Alfreil, an instructor at Pomona College; Mary; Marjorie; 
James; and Katherine. Mr. Woodford has joined no fraternal organ- 
izations, but has tle\oted himself exclusively to the upbuilding of the 
citrus industry in the \'alley, and his life work has been crowiieil with 
a success of the faith of the pioneers in the industry now being demon- 
strated by e\er-gro\ving proportions. In political issues he supports 
the Republican party. 



jON.M'll.W \. BOW.MAX 

When Jonathan \'. Bowman closed his eyes to the scenes of this 
life the Pomona \'alley lost one of her stanch upbuilders. He was 
a descendant of a \'irginia family who settled in Indiana in pioneer 
days. A nati\e of Ashland County, Ohio, he was born January 16, 
1839, and as an infant he was taken by his parents to Kosciusko 
County, Ind., where he attended school. When a young man he went 
to Henry County, that state, and followed the trade of carpenter. He 
enlisteil for service during the Ci\il War, respontling to the last call 
for troops, in an Imliana infantry regiment, and ser\ed till the close 
of the conflict. He then went to Coffey County, Kans., followed his 
trade of carpenter, was elected justice of the peace at Burlington, 
Kans.. and became a member of the school board. 

In July, 1887, Mr. Bowman came to Southern California, with 
Pomona as his objective point, thereby carrying out a long-felt ilcsire 
to come West. He invested in a tract of land on South Garey 
Avenue, set out trees ami while they were coming into bearing he 
raised sweet potatoes on the place, which he marketeil with success. 



332 IIISTORV AXD P.IOGRAniV 

He was ioined bv his \\ife the iollowing September, and e\er since 
then Pomona has been tlieir home antl the scene of his acti\ities, until 
his death on February 16, 1916. 

In 1885 Mr. Bowman was unitetl in marriage with Miss Sarah 
\^each, born in Indiana, and who still liNes on their home place in 
Pomona. Not having children of their own, they adopted a niece of 
Mrs. Bowman's, whom they reared with care and love as an own 
daughter. The niece, now Mrs. La\ina Kirkman Penley, is connected 
with the Pomona Library and has been acti\e in library work for 
se\eral years. 

Mr. Bowman was affiliated with the Masonic order and with 
^'icksburg Post No. 61, G. A. R. He was a supporter of all mo\e- 
ments for the upbuilding of his adopteil city and state. 



MRS. CORNELIA A. SPENCE 

As a city of high musical talent and taste Pomona has long 
enjoyed an en\iable reputation, and, in Mrs. Cornelia A. Spence, 
possesses a musician of exceptional versatility. Mrs. Spence was 
before her marriage Miss Cornelia A. Soule, and is a descendant on 
the ma-ternal side of an old Knickerbocker family, and on the paternal 
side traces her lineage back to the lantling of the Pilgrims. She was 
born near Rochester, N. Y., but reared and educated in Fond du Lac, 
Wis. A natural musician, at an early age she e\inced her predilection 
for the art, and began the study of music at the age of eight. I^'or 
eleven years she played the pipe organ in the Presbyterian Church 
of Fond du Lac, where she also taught piano and organ. 

The marriage of Miss Soule united her with J. A. Spence, a nati\'e 
of Ireland, w^ho came to Ohio as a young man. He engaged in the 
merchandise business in Chillicothe, Ohio, and continued to follow 
the occupation in Vond du Lac, Wis. During the country's need in 
the stress of our great ci\"il conflict, he enlisted as a private and came 
out with the rank of major, lieutenant-colonel by brevet. He also 
served as acting judge ad\ocate of his division. In 1899 he came to 
Pomona, where he held the position of bookkeeper for the San Dimas 
Water Compans' up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1909. 
A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Spence, Jay Spence, a natl\-e of 
Chicago, III., who came to Pomona in 1889 at the age of nineteen to 
accept a position in the First National Bank. He learned the banking 
business and for ele\en years was with the First National Bank of 
Pomona. Later he became cashier and president of the Bank of 
Oxnard, Ventura County, Cal., and from that position was called 
to the position of cashier In the Los Angeles Trust & Sa\ings Bank 
at Los Angeles, Cal., and in 1919 was made \ice-president. He is a 
young man of talent and has made rapid strides in the business world. 
He married F.stelle Minler of Cincinnati, Ohio, and three children 



HISTORY AM) I'.loCK Al'i n' 335 

have been born to them: Dorothy, a stuilent in the L'niversity of 
California at Berkeley, and the twins, Jay, Jr., and Jayne. 

Mrs. Spencc has been a factor in the musical world since cominjf 
to Southern California. She played the pipe orj^an in various churches 
of Los Angeles, anil in Pomona she has substituted in seserai ol the 
churches, and also taught piano and organ in I'omona. She estab- 
lishcil the Spence Orchestra at Pomona, consisting of Miss Willa Kent 
and Miss Jean Kent, both talented musicians, and plays at concerts, 
dances, weddings, receptions, etc., and has usetl her art, in which she 
has been so signally successful, not only in a commercial way, init in 
gi\ing pleasure to her friends, lor a period of lilty years Mrs. Spence 
has played in churches in different cities in the United States, repre- 
senting nearly e\ery denomination. She is active in Pomona's musical 
circles, and in Red Cross work during the World War. 



JOSr.1'11 I'. BAVMIA.M 

The steady and rapid growth and the increased prosperity of 
Pomona Valley is directly the result of the pioneer settlers in this lo- 
cality who have spent the better part of their lives in developing its 
latent resources and in buililing up a community which, socially, eco- 
nomically and in civic progress ranks with any in the state, and has 
during the years attracted the better class of citizenry to help in the 
further ad\ancement of this ideal home community. Among the olil 
settlers in the N'alley Joseph J. Baynham stands well to the front in 
the roster of names of pioneer orange men here. Born in lulton. 
Mo., September 28, 1857, he was a son of (i. H. ami .Martha 1-',. 
(Games) Baynham, the former born in Halifax, \ a., August 17, 1814, 
and the latter a native of'Georgetown, Ky., born December 5, 1821 ; 
their marriage taking place December 4, 18.19, at F-ulton, Mo., and 
in that locality Joseph J. was rearci.1 and recei\ed his education in 
the public schools and Westminster College at Fulton, Mo. After 
school days were over Mr. Baynham engaged in farming and stock 
raising, making a specialty of pure-bred ami high-grade horses, cattle 
and sheep — a business he greatly enjoyed. However, wishing to seek 
a milder climate he disposed of his holdings in Missouri and removed 
to Pomona \'alley, Cal.. in 1886. This was at the very beginning of 
a settlement here, and during the formative years of the X'alley he 
aided materially in de\ eloping the citrus industry and in laying the 
foundatif)n for its present day phenomenal state of culti\ation. He 
was one of the first men to engage in orange growing in the La \ erne 
district, and from the beginning had great faith in the future possi- 
bilities of the culture here, lor the Hrst five years he hauled water 
in barrels and tanks to irrigate his growing orange grove, anil his per- 
severance during those years of working against obstacles, when the 



336 HISTORY AXD r.lor.RAI'H^' 

present day irrigating facilities were as yet only dreams, met with 
success and he became one of the prominent orange growers of the 
district. He ga\e his orchard the same care and attention that had 
made him so successful in stock raising in the East, and he succeeded 
in developing and growing what has become one of the finest orange 
groves in the Pomona Valley. He was one of the prime mo\ers in 
the organization and development of the La Verne Land and Water 
Company, of which company he was vice-president and director. 

The marriage of Mr. Baynham oceurred in Fulton, Mo., as had 
that of his father before him, and united him with Katherine De Groff, 
a native of Paris, Ky., the ceremony taking place August 2, 1883. 

Mrs. Baynham was a daughter of A. P. and Margaret E. 
(Robnett) De Groff. nati\cs, respectively, of Rochester, N. Y.. and 
Paris, Ky. Her grandfather on the paternal side was born in 1- ranee 
and migrated to New York State, where A. P. De Groff was reared. 
After graduating from college he followed the \'ocation of teaching, 
later remo\ing to Paris, Ky., where he was engaged in educational 
work and there he married. In 1860 he removed with his family to 
Paris, Mo., where he followed farming until his death. 

Great-grandfather Robnett came with two of his brothers from 
their native France to \'irginia. The name was originally Robinette, 
but the emigrant changed it to Robnett, so as to establish a particular 
and distinct spelling of the name by his branch of the family. His son, 
Moses Robnett, was an early settler of Kentucky, locating in the fa- 
mous blue grass region near Paris, where he married Miss Maria 
Kcnnev, a native daughter of Kentucky. 

Mrs. Baynham is the fourth oldest in a family of ten children and 
is the only one in California. Lour children blessed the union of Mr. 
and Mrs. Jos. J. Baynham: Charles Robnett, a successful orange 
grower in the Claremont district; Willa De Groft is Mrs. Rickett of 
Pomona ; Joseph Robnett is a successful orange grower in the La Verne 
district; James De Groff was a member of Company D. Seventh 
California Infantry, National Guard. On the declaration of war on 
Germany by the Linited States Congress he enlisted with his regi- 
ment and was mustered into the One Hundred Sixtieth Infantry, later 
being transferred to the Forty-first Engineers and went with them 
o\'erseas February, 1918, scr\ing with the first army imtil the armis- 
tice, after which he was transferred to the Twentieth Engineers, assist- 
ing in the cleaning up and rehabilitating of the country. His last three 
months o\erseas was spent as a student in the Law Department of the 
American Expeditionary Forces Uni\ersity at Beaime. 

Returning to San Francisco June 1, 1919, he was mustered out 
in that city June 17, with the rank of sergeant, and he is now attentling 
Pomona C(jllege. He is a member of the Chas. P. Rowe Post of the 
American Legion at Pomona. 



HISTORY AM) UK (CKAI'I n' .^7 

During his many years (if residence here Mr. Baynham was 
active in all good works in the comnuinity; a Democrat in politics, he 
exerted his influence to further civic betterment in his district, ami in 
church work he served as ileacon of the I'irst Baptist Church in Po- 
mona for over thirty years, ami held that office at the time of his death. 
Fraternally he was a member of the A. O. I . W .. and of the 1- raternal 
Aid. His passing, which occurred June I, 19 IS, remo\ ed I rom the 
community a man in whom reposed the sincerest respect and admira- 
tion of all, and ended a life which was an inspiration to everyone who 
knew him. Since the death of her husband Mrs. iiaynham continues 
to reside at the family home, 228 College Avenue, Claremont, which 
they built in 1906. The children are very kind, loving, and devoted 
to her and assist her in looking after the affairs left by Mr. iinynham. 
She is hospitable and charitable and has a large circle of friemls by 
whom she is held in the highest esteem. 



Tlll.OlMllll-: CORBIIL 

The pioneer among his countrymen in the Pomona \'allev, Theo- 
phile Corbeil stands a unique figure. The success he has achieved in 
life has been entirely the result of his own effort and application. He 
was born May 10, 1859, in Hautes-Alpes, France, of IVench parents, 
and was fortunate in having a father that attached importance to the 
beneHt of a good education. He was kept in school until twenty-one 
years of age, then entered the French Army, and after serving for five 
years accepted the call for volunteers and went to Africa, where he 
served eight months during the uprising of the Arabs. After his return 
to F-Vance he was employed in the paymaster's department of the army 
as a messenger, and in 1885 renounced the life of a soldier and was 
soon afterward united in marriage with Rosalie Sarazin. Two years 
later, in 1887, he and his wife sailed for America, and arrived in Los 
Angeles. Cal.. April 21, 1887, with but thirty-ti\e cents in his pocket. 

Undaunted by the vicissitudes of life, he and his wife wf)rkcd 
for a time in a restaurant, ami later he found emplovment with the 
Southern Pacific Railroad in road construction work, and in May. 
1887. arrived at Pomona. He was in the employ of the Southern 
Pacific Railroad nine years, and in the meantime built a hf)me in 
Pomona and later purchased a twenty-acre unimpro\etl ranch near 
Chino which he planted to apricots, peaches, prunes and grapes. This 
land, for which he paid fifty-seven dollars an acre, he sold in twelve 
years' time for $450 per acre. This gave him his start to success ami 
prosperity. He next bought twelve and one-half acres of unimproved 
land on Fast San Bernardino Avenue, Pomona, planted the land to 
Navel and \'alencia oranges and installed an irrigating system. This 
grove produced over $10,000 worth of fruit for the season of 1918-19. 



3,i,S lllS'l'i )R^ AM) I'.IOCRAI'IIV 

His next real-estate \cnture was the purchase of nine acres on Kingsley 
and Alexander avenues. This he also planted to oranges, and the 
trees are now three and ti\c years old. In 1916 Mr. Corbeil bought 
H\c acres in the Charter Oak district. The crop on this last piece of 
property yielded 2,000 boxes of fruit for the season of 1918. He 
bought ti\e acres on Alexan^ler, aeljoining his twehc and one-half 
acres, in No\ember, 1919. 

Mr. and Mrs. Corbeil are the parents of four sons, Denne, 
Sihan, Jheophile, Jr., and Fred. SiK^an served seventeen months at 
the submarine base at San Pedro; I-'red \\as in San Pedro four months, 
and at Mare Island live months, when he was discharged. They were 
x'olunteers in the United States Navy during the World War. 

Mr. Corbeil is a man of superior business ability, and it is to his 
business perspicacity that a large share of his financial success and the 
competency he has amassed is due. He is a member of the Roman 
Catholic Church. 



HANS B. HANSEN 

A very successful fruit grower who arrived in the United States a 
poor boy and, having become a self-made man, has risen to a state of 
comfortable affluence, is Hans B. Hansen, who was born at Schleswig- 
Holstein, on January 19, 1851. He learned the trade of a shoemaker 
and then, in 1871, at the age of twenty years, came to the United 
States, as so many of his fellow-countrymen had done before him, in 
the expectation of finding here a larger field, and in this he was not 
disappointed. I"or a while he worked on a farm in Warren County, 
Illinois, and later engaged as a shoemaker at Monmouth, near by, 
afterward remo\'ing to Burlington, Iowa, where he plied his trade for 
one year; then he went to Lenox, that state, where he hatl a shop of 
his own and carried on business until coming to California. 

In 1883 Mr. Hansen came to California ami for three years 
busied himself with farming near Santa Rosa, in Sonoma County. In 
September, 1886, however, persuaded that Pomona offered still 
greater advantages, he came south and bought five acres of land on 
Grand A\enue, east of Ciarey. It was raw land, but he planted it to 
apricots antl prunes, and during the ten years that he was there, he 
developed it along scientific lines, so that he was able to sell some of 
the acreage at a decided ad\ance. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Hansen had bought his present ranch of ten 
acres at the corner of Garey and Grand avenues, and here he planted 
apricots, walnut trees and peaches, an orchanl so well laid out and 
attended to that, when only three years old, it produced twelve tons 
of green fruit. Indeed, in 1917 his apricot crop brought $1,250 in the 
open market; and the following year, forty walnut trees yielded $400. 



b^ 









HISTOkN' AXI) r,l()C,R.\l'll\' 341 

As the result of continued iiani, honest labor, Mr. Hansen owns a 
business block on East Second Street, one on West Second Street, ami 
one on South Main Street. He is also a stockholder in the Irrigation 
Company of Pomona, havinjj; encouragetl that laudable enterprise to 
his utmost ability. He is a member of the Walnut Growers .Associ- 
ation at Walnut. 

At Lenox, Iowa, on No\ember 15, 1877, Mr. Hansen married 
Nannie J. Landon, a nati\e of N'irginia, but who was reared in Iowa 
from the age of four years, by whom he has had li\e children, all 
girls. Annie 13. is the wife of William Capper, of Perris, Cal.; 
Maggie M. lives at home; Hattie 1'.. is the wife of R. I:. Damon, of 
Perris; and Mabel C. and \'iola K. are also at home. The family 
are members of the I'irst Christian Church; .Mr. I lanscn is a .Mason. 



JOHN A. FENDER 

A veteran of many campaigns, civil and military, who saw much 
of the vigorous life of the great plains and frontiers, and took part In 
all the excitement of the early gold discoveries, witnessing events now 
a part of our most stirring national history, is John A. Fender, a native 
of Yancey County, N. C, where he was born on September 22, 1842. 
He started from home on January 1, 1859, and stopped in .Missouri 
until .March, when he outlitted with ox teams to cross the plains for 
the Golden West in quest of gold; from Salt Lake City he drove a 
band- of cattle and mules for Hen Halliday to California. He wx'nt 
back to Nevada. There, in the (iold Hill ilistrict, he mined near the 
farm with the Comstock vein, arriving soon after the big vein \vas 
discovered; and he was in that \icinity during all the famous excite- 
ment. The place was calleil X'irginia City, iiut there were no buildings 
to designate the place, just a number of tents. 

After mining in Nevada for two years, he came back to Cali- 
fornia and located at French Town, nine miles below Placcrville, in 
El Dorado County, where he worked at mining from the fall of 1862 
to 1864. He also worked in the old Hubbard Cojiper .Mine, and 
helped build the wagon road across the Tehachapi .Mountains in the 
winter of 1863-64. 

In 1864 he returned Fast and for a short time saw service in the 
Civil War, lighting with \'an Fleet's brigade in Sheridan's army for 
two months in the Shenandoah Valley. Later, he teameil for a while 
at the national capital. From 1S67 to 1885 he farmed in Missouri, 
for the most part in Linn and Bates Counties, and there he owned 
a fine farm of 160 acres. 

Selling out in 1885, he came to Pomona for his health, and 
opened a harness shop on West Second Street, and later he moveil 
to the corner of Second and Thomas streets, where he did a large 



342 HISTORY AND lUOGRAl'HY 

business. He next bought two ranches of ten acres each in Charter 
Oak district, and then he traded these ranches for the Oxford Hotel, 
at the corner of First Street and Garey Avenue, Pomona, which he 
soon greatly improved, adding another story and making $18,000 
worth of impro\einents. He conducted this hotel for a number of 
years, and now has leased it to others to operate. He owned a ten- 
acre ranch on Raniona Avenue, which he recently sold at a good profit, 
and he also sold a ten-acre alfalfa ranch on North Street. Now, retired 
from active life, he de\otes his time to looking after his real-estate 
interests. He has made a success of his business \'entures, and claims 
that the climate of Pomona Valley has greatly prolonged his life. 

In Yancey County, N. C, Mr. Fender was married to Miss 
Linila Taffa, a native of North Carolina, by whom he has had rive 
children. Besides a son, Joseph, the four daughters are Mrs. Julia 
Wheelan, Mrs. Lyna Overman, Mrs. Mary Alford and Mrs. Kate 
Lewis. Mr. Fender is one of the leaders in the Holt Avenue Meth- 
odist Church, South, and, in his usual public-spirited manner, gi\es 
freely to the same. Especially is he proud of being a California 
pioneer, and "boosts" for California anil Pomona ^"alley first, last 
and all the time. 



CHARLES H. CHAIN 

An ofHcial of Pomona who has been very loyal to both the town 
and the Valley is Charles H. Chain, foreman of the Pomona city 
schools. He was born in Portage County, Ohio, September 12, 1862, 
the son of William and Matilda (Case) Chain, natives of New Balti- 
more, Stark County, and Portage County, Ohio. In 1865 the family 
went to Oil City, Pa., at the time of the first oil disco\ery, ami there 
the father engaged in teaming for a time; later he engaged in the 
retail business of ice and soda water until the panic of 1877. The 
following spring they moved to Jefferson County, Kans., where 
Charles H. asslsteti in de\'eloping some prairie lanil Into a productive 
farm. The Chains were certainly pioneers there, and the best educa- 
tional ad\antagcs that the son had were supplied by the countrv school. 

On October 2.?, 1884, at Norton\-ille, Kans., Mr. Chain married 
Miss Laura A. Slane, the daughter of George and l"^lizabeth ( Rogers) 
Shine, who were born in Illinois and A'irglnia, respccti\-el\. After 
establishing himself in domestic comfort, Mr. Chain farmed in eastern 
Kansas, in Jefferson County. In 1885 he took up a CJo\-ernment claim 
of 160 acres in Gray Coimty, and the spring of the next year he 
brought his family, consisting of wife and baby, o\erlaml by wagon 
to their new home. Little by little he added to his holdings, until he 
had three quarter-sections of land. He began with nothing, but by 
han.1 work, self-denial, thrift and economy succeetied in getting a start 
and built a sod house and barn for his needs. In order to make a 



HISTORY AM) IWoC.KArilV 34.? 

li\mjj; while he was iles elopiii^r his jilacc he ilid teaminji;, hauling,' 
treiyht from the Santa l-'e Railroad to 'Jexas and Indian Jerritorics. 
After living on his claim two years he moved into the new town ot 
Monte/uma. into which he had hauleti the lirst load of lumher, and 
there he established a small jreneral store, which he conducteii one 
year; but the hot winds ruined the corn crop that year and Mr. Chain 
went under, with the other hard-working folks who had ventured all 
they hail. While li\ing here he participated in the county-seat war 
between the towns of Cimarron and Ingalls. 

llasing to begin all o\er again, Mr. Chain went to Topeka, 
where he worked for the street railway a couple of years, then returned 
to Alliance, Stark County, Ohio, where for eleven years he followed 
the trade of carpenter, which he hati learned in his younger days. I'or 
seven years of that time he was with the wrecking crew, and also in 
the car-building department of the Pennsylvania Railroad. On account 
of leading such a strenuous life anil the rigorous climate of the East, in 
-November, 1902, Mr. Chain and family came to Pomona, Cal. I le 
arrived here with limited capital, but went to work as a carpenter, 
operating in Long Beach, San Pedro, Huntington Beach and Pomona, 
working on many of the fine residences in those localities. He later 
became a contracting builder in Pomona, following that calling for 
many years, during which time he erected many of the tine homes 
here. In 1 905 he bought ten acres of land on West l-'ifth Street, which 
had been set to grapes, walnuts and fruit. He erected a comfortable 
home and greatly improved the property, so that in 1918 his walnut 
trees produced three tons of nuts, and he had six tons of peaches 
from 300 trees. 

In 1914 Mr. Chain became foreman of the Pomona city schools, 
and has had charge of the janitors, buildings and grounds. Since 
assuming the position he has systematized the duties of the office and 
thereby saves time and labor in carrying out his ideas. He has been 
especially interested in beautifying the different school grounds and is 
particular in seeing that the iuiildings arc kept in good repair, for 
a "stitch in tmie sa\es nine." His work is dignified by responsibility 
and his many friends are pleasetl that he ga\es perfect satisfaction. 

Three children have been horn to Mr. and Mrs. Chain : Clodine ]. 
is the wife of Henry Ingram, an attorney in Gridley, Cal. She was 
bom October .10, 1885, in Jefterson County. Kans., and is the mother 
of two children, Phyllis Dean and Mary Flizabeth; Opal M. is the 
wife of A. T. Richardson, part owner of the Pomona Protfrrss. She 
was born August 24. 1887, in the sod house in Kansas, and has one 
son, Charles 1".; Harold S. was born in Alliance, Ohio, .March 2, 
1899, and is a salesman for Smart & Final. Mr. and Mrs. Chain are 
members of the First Christian Church. Mr. Chain belongs to Po- 
mona Lodge \o. 246, I. O. O. F., and he and Mrs. Chain are members 
of the Brotherhood of American Yeomen. 



3-14 IIIS'I'ORY AXD lUoCRAIM IV 

HARRY RANDOLPH WHITE 

A descendant of an old pioneer family of the state, and himself 
a native son of California, Harry Kantlolph White was born at Court- 
land. Sacramento County, January 2, 1864, a son of Caleb E. White, 
whose life story is jriven on another page of the history. As a young 
man he was on the range with his father, doing his share toward the 
de\elopment of the state, and also sharing in the hardships of agri- 
cultural life in those days of more primiti\'e methods and surroundings. 

Lea\ing the range, he later foimd employment in a grocery store, 
and was next manager of a large wholesale fruit house in Los Angeles. 
On the death of his father, September 2, 1902, he assumed the care 
of the home place in Pomona, and his early training has stood him In 
good stead, for he has made a most efficient and thorough horticulturist, 
having learned the fruit industry from the ground up in the school 
of experience. He makes his home on the old ranch and keeps it in 
splendid condition. His mother's death occurred December 12, 1910. 

The marriage of Mr. White, which occurred in 1897, united him 
with Miss Mary Blaney, a native of lingland, and four children have 
been born to them: Rebecca A.; Helen May; Irene M., and Mar- 
guerite. Mr. White is a Republican in politics, and gives his support 
to all moNcments tending toward the ad\ancement of his district, with 
a patriotic Interest In the commonwealth as a whole and particularly 
in his own community. He was one of the charter members of the 
Moose Lodge In Pomona. 



EVERETT HASKELL WELCH 

One ot the representati\e citizens of Pomona and actl\e In the 
life of the community for the past twenty-eight years, hlverett H. 
Welch Is a native of La Salle, La Salle County, 111., born October 
4, 1858. At the age of ele\en, he mo\-ed with his parents to (iales- 
burg. III. His father, William Wallace Welch, was a doctor, and 
ser\-ed throughout the Ci\il War in the Fifty-third Regiment, Illinois 
\'olunteer Infantry, except for a time when he was medical director 
ol the Army, Department of Tennessee. Everett H. studied medicine 
with him for four years. He decided, however, to take up railroad- 
ing, and in 1881 started in with the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 
Railway as night operator at Abingdon, 111. Later he was agent and 
operator at Cromwell, Iowa, for two years. For seven years he was 
agent and operator for the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway at Brown, 
Clinton County, Iowa. 

September 6, 1891, Mr. Welch came to Pomona. I<^:)r a time he 
tt'orked In Major Drlffil's nursery and at setting out friilt ti-ees on 
ilifferent ranches. June 5. 1892, he became station agent for the 
Santa I'e Rallwav at \orth Pomona, anil has been agent and operator 
there since that i-late, a |ierIod of faithful service which speaks for 



mS'l'OKV AM) I'.loC.kAl'llV 345 

itself. At that early Jatc the postofficc was in the station, and Mr. 
Welch was assistant postmaster, besides his other duties. I le has seen 
many chanj^e in this section of the N'alley durinj^ his lonjj; residence 
here; has seen all the oranj^e j^roves set out and broii).;ht to their 
present state ol pro(.lucti\ eness. When he became aji;ent the Richards 
Orange Ranch was just coming into bearing and the next year they 
shipped nine cars oF fruit, and this increased to 200 cars ycarlv, until 
the property was subtiiv ided. A part of the railway station was at 
that time used for packing ami storing the fruit, as this was before the 
days of the packing houses. 

The marriage of Mr. Welch, in Dubuque, Iowa, December 25, 
1884, united him with Florence R. Marugg, of French and Swiss 
descent; she was born in Menominee, Wis.. January 25, 1868. Mr. 
ami Mrs. Welch are the parents of three children, the two oldest born 
in Brown, Iowa, and the youngest at the family home in Pomona: 
Ksther B., born October 2.3, 1885, is the wife of Charles Y. Gillette 
of Pomona, and the mother of two sons; she is an active member of 
the Eastern Star in which she is a past district deputy, and she is a 
Daughter of the American Re\olutIon. F.dward I'lverett, born March 
1-3, 1888, a graduate from Pomona High School, began in 1909 as 
telegraph operator with the Santa Fe at Hanford, and continued as an 
operator in \arious points on the Pacific Coast; from 1912 to 1914 he 
was radio operator in the L'nited States \avy: and when the United 
States entered the war, he went into training at Camp Lewis, joined 
the Xinety-first Division, Three Hundred Sixteenth FieKl Signal Bat- 
talion, United States Army, served in France and Belgium and saw 
action in the Argonne, and other battles; he returned to the United 
States after the armistice was signed and was discharged at Camp 
Kearny, and is now with a reclamation surveying corps in the Sacra- 
mento Valley. The youngest son, Flwyn H., born June 28, 1 895, was 
educated in the public schools of Pomona, and was graduated from 
Pomona College, June 17, 1918, with high honors, and during his last 
year in college was class president. lie became a member of the 
Fortieth Division, attached to the One Hundred Fifty-seventh Field 
Hospital Corps, United States Army, which was later detacheil and 
operated independently of the Fortieth, being stationed at Mars Le 
Lours, France. He became a sergeant, was discharged at the Pre- 
sidio in San Francisco, and is nf)w taking a medical course in the 
University of California at Berkeley. 

Mr. Welch has been prominent in fraternal organizations in the 
city: in the Masonic orders he is a past master of i'omona Lodge No. 
246, F. & A. M.; past high priest, Pomona Chapter No. 76, R. A. 
'Y-; past commander of Southern California Commanderv No. M. 
K. T., and past worthy patron of Pomona Chapter No. I 10, O. L. S. 
He is active in the Odd Fellows as well, is past noble grand and past 
D. I), (i. M. of Pomona Lodge No. 246, I. O. O. F.. and is a member 



346 lllSroRV AXI) niOGRAl'lIY 

of San Antonio Encampment \o. 88. He also belongs to Heliotrope 
Lodge No. 183, Daughters of Rebekah. Mrs. Welch has also been 
an active worker in both the Eastern Star and the Rebekahs; she has 
been worthy matron of the Eastern Star and she is past noble grand 
and district deputy of the Rebekahs. 

The Welch family has been represented in all of the wars of this 
country, and their ancestry is traced back to the early Colonial days. 
This loyal and patriotic family is representative of the community 
which has grown up around Pomona, and as such deserve all honor 
for their public and patriotic labors for the upbuilding of our great 
commonwealth. 



ASA G. WHITING 

Thirty-four years ha\e rolled down time's corridor since Asa G. 
W^hiting, in search of a climate tor his health's sake, less rigorous 
than that of the old Pine Tree State, cast his lot in the Pomona Valley. 
1 here is certainly a great contrast between the climate of the state 
located in the extreme northeastern part of our Union and that of 
Southern California, situated in the extreme southwestern part, and 
in the afternoon of life Mr. Whiting enjoys the unsurpassed climate 
oi the Pomona Valley under the genial California sunshine, and is 
still an acti\e man for his years. 

He was born February 9th, 1843, at Skowhegan, Maine, his 
father and mother's natal state also. The Pacific Slope has been 
largely populated with sturdy New England people whose thrift and 
reliability give tone to our cosmopolitan population and whose enter- 
prise has added materially to the wealth of the State of California. 

Mr. Whiting was educated in the country schools of his native 
state, attending school in his early years in a log cabin schoolhouse, 
and at the age of eighteen worked in the lumber woods at Norridge- 
wock, Maine, and in the saw mills, cutting timber and floating logs 
down the Kennebeck and Penobscot rivers. As a boy he learned the 
trade of stonecutter. Later he was engaged in railroad building in 
his nati\'e state and helped build the Somerset Railroad in Maine, the 
Ware River Railroad in Massachusetts and the Cayuga Lake Rail- 
road in New York State. He was a member of the State of Maine 
Grange many years, and also engaged in timber cruising in the woods 
of Maine. In those early days of his life he minetl for gold in the 
Province of Quebec, Canada, on the Chandler River, and he wears a 
gold nugget as a watch charm which he dug in the early Sixties. 

When Mr. Whiting came to California in 1885 the city of Mon- 
rovia had not been started, and not a brick had been laitl in Pasadena. 
He settled in Pomona \^alley and purchased twenty acres of fruit 
land \\hich lay between Second and Fifth streets on the east, and 




<^^. m^^^e 




HISTORY AND IJIOGRAIMIV 34«) 

Reservoir Avenue and San Antonio Avenue on the south. He after- 
wards disposed of this property and bought ten acres west of Eleanor 
and north of Grand Avenue, his present place, and also ten acres east 
of his present ranch. He planted the land to apricot, orange and wal- 
nut trees, planting the orange trees from seed and afterward budding 
them. He has been raising apricots thirty years and in that time has 
had only two apricot crop failures. One year he produced eighty-one 
tons of green fruit from 578 apricot trees. He has a fine irrigation 
system on his ranch, which at the present time comprises seven and 
one-half acres and is one of the best looking and best kept ranches in 
the \'alley. 

He has a number of \aluable relics and ancient pieces in his 
home which he brought from Maine, among them a grandfather's 
clock over lUO years old, the works of which are made entirely of 
wood: a chair over 100 years old; a history of Norriilgewock and 
Canaan, Maine, printed in 1849, ami an I'.nglish tlictionary printed in 
England in 1790. 

His marriage united him with .Mary Mosher in 1883, a native 
of Unity, Maine, whose parents were also born in the State of Maine. 
Mrs. Whiting is greatly interestetl in raising chickens, and has four 
pens ot tine blooded white Leghorn and Anconas. 

.Mr. Whiting was president of the Irrigation Company of Po- 
mona tor tweKe years and was a charter member of the company. 
He and his good wife are highly respected by their friends and neigh- 
bors. In political affairs Mr. Whiting casts his \ote for the best man, 
regardless of party affiliations. 

1 KA.\K OSCAR SLANKl.K 

One of the few pioneers left, and second to none among those 
who are highly respected for their known public spirit, is Frank Oscar 
Slanker, the vigilant yet considerate constable, who was born at Read- 
ing, Burks County, Pa., on October 12, 1857. His father was Daniel 
A. Slanker, a stockman and breeder of high-grade, fancy horses, who 
owned a half-interest in Dan Rice's Circus. During the Civil War he 
ser\ ed tor three and a half years in Company A of the Seventh Illinois 
Cavalry Regiment, and he died in Clinton, Henry County, Mo., where 
he had a large farm after the war. Mrs. Slanker was I':iizabeth 
Leonard before her marriage, ami she also passed away, the mother 
of twelve children. 

Frank was educated at the public schools of Paris ami Clinton, 
Mo., and then he helped his father until his fourteenth vear, when he 
left home. He went to Illinois and lived with acquaintances; and 
while there he attended school for another three years. 

Shortly after that, in 1875, he came to California with a family 
namcii Webster, and sct'led at San Jacinto; but they died a few years 



350 HISTORY AXn rUoCRAPHY 

later, ami a year after that he returned to Illinois. He came liack to 
California, however, and this time located at Compton; and with this 
closer accjuaintance with the Southland, he began to associate himself 
more permanently with California. 

In 1877 — a long time ago in the history of Pomona Valley and 
its rather recent development — Mr. Slanker came to Pomona, and 
for a while he worked on a farm. With Mr. Burlingame and a set 
of well tools, he was for four years in charge of a crew drilling artesian 
wells, and so helped more extensively to introduce this great French 
device that has been of such service in irrigation. Then he learned the 
blacksmith trade and worked at that for six years, and afterwards he 
bought a shop and carried on the trade until 1886. 

Fortunately for Pomona, as well as for himself, he was elected 
constable in 1886, and during the years when he has cared for the 
observance of law and the safety of the community, he has seen the 
town grow from a few shacks to its present size. He is a Repub- 
lican in politics, but he has many a friend who belongs to another 
political camp. 

In Pomona, on April 12, 1885, Mr. Slanker was married to Miss 
Sadie Keller of Ohio, and by her he has had five children: Leria 
married Lloyd Clark, and has one son, Lloyd; Penelope, Mrs. Russell, 
has one daughter, Fern; Etta, Mrs. Ryan, has one son, Richard; 
George; and Richard. He belongs to the Elks and the Maccabees and 
the Fraternal Brotherhood and Fraternal Aid. He is fond of fishing 
and also hunting, and by these outdoor recreations keeps himself in 
excellent trim for his work. 



CHARLES MIDGLEY 

The descendant of a famous English family, and himself a well- 
read, interesting man, well posted on topics of the day and a fine 
conversationalist, Charles Midgley made many firm friends during his 
years of residence in Pomona, and his passing left a clean and active 
record on the book of life. A native of Vermont, he was born in 
Northfield, June 5, 1839, of English descent and, on his mother's side, 
a descendant of the Whitworth family of England. When a young 
man he went to Canada, later to Minnesota, and at the outbreak of 
the Civil War he enlisted in the Ninth Minnesota Infantry and served 
to the end of the war with distinction. 

After the close of that great conflict, Mr. Midgley farmed for a 
time in Minnesota, then moved to Gadsden, Ala., and was in the lime 
and rock business there. In 1891 he came to Pomona, and here he 
bought ten acres of land near town and engaged in ranching, but soon 
after retired from active duties. He was a member of Vicksburg 
Post No. 61, (i. A. R., of Pomona, and had hosts of friends in the 
community. His death occurred December 31, 1911. 




'^ 







IlISTOkV AM) I'.K K'.RAI'IIN 3?.? 

July 1 1, 1S65. Mr. Mui^lcy was uiiitcii In marriaj^c with I.uclla 
Tuttlc, born in Molinc, III., and who came to Minnesota at aj^c of two 
years, when that state was a wilderness and inlested by Indians, 
Minneapolis consisting of only a few houses, and while living on the 
east side, the present site of the State University was a part of his 
farm, ami he ilonated the land for the site. Three sons were born to 
Mr. and Mrs. Midgley : .Arthur, who died in the East, leasing a wife 
and two children; Col. \V. W. Midgley, who was well known in 
Fomona as a rancher and member of the Seventh Regiment, National 
Guard; he is now in the cattle business in Clarksdaic, Ariz.; and 
Robert B. of Berkeley, Cal. A grandson, Roy .Midgley, son of the 
late Arthur Midgley, served as a mechanic with the home forces 
during the late war. .Mrs. Mitlgley is a member of the Kastern Star 
and she attends the Congregational Church. 



I'.DWARD I). SHAW 

A descenilant of thoroughgoing American pioneer stock wiiosc 
'.mmcdiate forbears were among the tirst settlers of Pomona \'alley, 
Edward D. Shaw carrietl on the work so nobly started by his ances- 
tors in diftcrent parts of the country, that of ileveloping and upbuild- 
ing the communities in which they made their homes. Born in (ilen- 
shaw. Pa., in 1860, he is a son of W. C. and Eli/.a Jane (.Matthews) 
Shaw, the father of Scotch-Irish extraction and the mother of I'nglish 
descent. She was a cultureii and refined woman and was a teacher 
in a ladies' seminary at Cadiz, Ohio, previous to her marriage. The 
Shaw family were among the early settlers of Pittsburgh, Pa., being 
large property owners in that city, owning a ganien on what is now 
Fifth Avenue, in the heart of the city of Pittsburgh. .Afterwards tlie 
family settled in Glenshaw. which takes its name from the familv, a 
place eight miles out from Pittsburgh. 

W. C. Shaw was a miller ami a very prominent man in the affairs 
of his vicinity. Se\eral years after .Mrs. Shaw's ileath, .Mr. Shaw 
decided to come to California, and he arrived at Pomona in 1SS7. 
In 1889 he set out an orange grove at Harrison and .Mountain ave- 
nues, but finally returned I ast and resided at bis oUI home in (ilen- 
shaw until his death. 

The second of six chlitlren born to his parents, Edwanl D. Shaw 
was educated in the public schools of I'ittsburgh. .After his school ilays 
were over he' entered the office of the Lewis, Oliver & Phillips Com- 
pany, at Pittsburgh, iron and steel manufacturers, and then with the 
Charlotte Furnace Company at Scottdale, Pa., where he continued for 
four years, and here he learned the manufacture of iron, doing back 
to Pittsburgh he was with the Jones &: I.aughlin Steel Company, where 
he learned the Bessemer process of manufacturing steel umkr Phin- 



354 HISTORY AM) I'.loCRAl'l h' 

neas Barnes, remaining there two years, after which he entered the 
employ of the Carnegie Steel Company as inspector of steel, and soon 
afterwards he was made superintendent of the Cold Drawn Steel De- 
partment for the Carnegie Steel Company at Beaver Palis, Pa. Re- 
signing his position, he went with the Panhandle system of the Penn- 
sylvania Railroad Company as assistant bridge inspector on those 
lines, where he spent four years traveling over their railroad system. 

In the spring of 1893 he again accepted a position with the Car- 
negie Steel Company as inspector in the Held for the Bridge Company 
Department in the erection of the Metropolitan ]'de\ated Railroatl in 
Chicago, and immetliately removed to the Western metropolis, taking 
up his duties with the same vim and energy that had made him so 
\aluahle in former positions. Howe\-er, the strenuous life and severe 
climate of the liast hatl told on Mr. Shaw and impaired his health, 
and he was ad\-Ised to seek a milder climate, so in No\ember, 1893, he 
came to Claremont and for eighteen months de\'otetl his time to 
citrus culture. But the call of the bustling Fvastern manufacturing 
centers was too much for him and the old desire toi- acti\ity along 
those lines became so strong that he returnee! to l^eimsvK ania and re- 
entered the employ of the Panhandle at his old desk as assistant 
inspector of the southwest system of the Pennsyhania Railroad, and 
tra\-eled over the system as inspector of bridge steel. 

After six months of this work he foimd that he could not stand 
the climate, so in 1895 he returned to Claremont, since which time he 
has devoted himself to citrus culture. lie purchased the ten-acre 
orange gro\'e on Harrison and Mountain a\enues which his father 
had set out in 1889 and began its care and de\elopment. He found 
the water supply inadequate for the growing orcharels, so with others 
organized the Claremont Cooperati\"e Water Companv; they put 
down four wells and installed four pumping plants, so that they now 
have an ample supply of water to irrigate the area co\ered. This 
ten acres formed the nucleus of his present holdings. The first few 
years were hard, uphill work, but he persevered, aided by his faithful 
wife, and they eventually weathered the difficulties ami made a suc- 
cess, so that about 1903 he purchased twenty acres one and one-half 
miles north of his place, also on Mountain Avenue. It was co\ered 
with sage brush and he cleared it, leveled it and set it to oranges, ha\-- 
ing raised the nursery stock on his own place, and the \\'hole tract is 
now a bearing orchard of Navel and \'alencia oranges and lemons. 

In 1910 he bought forty acres on Upper Mills Avenue, a wilder- 
ness of sage brush. He brought water on it, clearetl and Impro\ed it 
and now has twenty acres oi it in a thri\ing orchard of \'alencias and 
Marsh Seedless grapefruit, and is rapidly developing the balance. 
He is building a large, modern residence on the place and it is the 
consensus of opinion that it is one of the most sightly places in 



HISTORV AM) I'.lor.KAl'llV 335 

Clarcinont, commaiulinji; a inaj^niticcnt view ot the mountains ami a 
beautiful \ icw of the \'allc'y. Mr. Shaw is president of the Montclair 
Water Company that furnishes his and two other ranches with water. 

The marriage of Mr. Shaw occurred at dlenshaw, I'a., October 
8, 1889, uniting him with .Miss Belle Richey .Miller, also a nati\c of 
Glenshaw. the daughter of John B. and Caroline (Richey) .Miller, 
both born in Pennsylvania, and who were prominent agriculturists of 
Cilenshaw. .Mrs. Shaw recei\cd a good education in the schools of 
Alleghany City. .Mr. and .Mrs. Shaw have three children : .Marjorie. 
born in Chicago, graduated from Pomona College in the class of 
1917 and is now the wife of Carlos S. .Mundt of Alameda; Courtney 
.Miller and l'!d\vard Richey were both born on the Harrison Avenue 
ranch: the former, a graduate of the Claremont high school, is now 
attending the Oregon Agricultural College at Corvallis, Ore., and 
Edward attends the Claremont high school. The family are members 
of the Congregational Church at Claremont. 

Mr. Shaw has seen this section grow from a few acres of orchard 
newly set out, to one of thousands of acres of full bearing citrus 
groves. In the early days there were no packing houses anil oranges 
were packed on the depot platforms at the stations. Now there are 
large packing houses in every community. Mr. Shaw is a member of 
the College Heights Orange Growers Association, lie is a Republi- 
can and a protectionist. Deeply interested in the development of the 
citrus industry in Southern California, he has proven himself a valu- 
able and enterprising citizen. 



WILLIAM 1. .MAKIIX 

A noted apiarist who has had a very interesting and honorable 
part in the development of the Pomona Valley, is William T.. pop- 
ularly called "Toots" Martin, of 362 East Third Street, Pomona. He 
was born in Red River County. Texas, on October 8. 1844. the son 
of William C. Martin, who was born in that same state when Texas 
was under Spanish rule. He married Miss Rebecca A. Miller, a native 
of Alabama, and in 185.^ crossed the great plains to California, travel- 
ing with ox teams, and settled at EI Monte, Los Angeles County. 

\\'illiam attended school in the I-]| Monte school tlistrict, and 
afterwarii studied at the Sotoyome College at Heaklsburg. Thus well 
ecjuippetl. he began to teach school at the age of eighteen, and he still 
has in his possession a teacher's certificate of gramrjiar school gra<le. 
In 1865 he marrieil Miss Nancy .M. Thompson of 'Texas, and the 
daughter of Samuel S. "Thompson, who located in Los Angeles County 
in 1852 and were thus among the earlv pioneers of the country. 

Pitching his tent at Downey. Mr. Martin bought fifty acres of 
land from the Governor, and farmed the same until 1867. Then he 



356 IIISTURV AND lUuC.RAl'llV 

returned to El Monte and ran the old El Monte Tavern, although 
from 1868 to 1871 he raised bees in the San Dimas section. In 1871 
he moved his 200 hives of bees to where Claremont now stands, and 
there took a preemption claim of 156 acres, and he was in the bee 
business there until 1884, when he sold out. This relation to the bee 
industry leads him sometimes to tell of an experience, in the Centennial 
Year, with a bear. Proverbially fond of honey. Bruin came down from 
the mountains and robbed him of eight stands of bees, eating honey, 
bees and all. About six weeks afterward Mr. Bear again visited him 
and robbed him of four stands more, bees and honey. 

After selling out his ranch in 1884, Mr. Martin removed to 
Pomona and bought fifteen acres at the corner of Fifth and Towne 
avenues, and these he planted to deciduous fruits. Two years later 
he was elected one of the supervisors of Los Angeles County, running 
on the Democratic ticket against a strong Republican ticket, and he was 
the first and last supervisor to be elected who resicied in the extreme end 
of the Pomona district. He served for four years, and cfuring his term 
of office more bridges were built in the east end of the countv than ever 
before, among them being the old El Monte wooden structure, half 
a mile long, and San Gabriel bridge. During his term also the County 
Court House was built in Los Angeles, and the County Farm on the 
Downey Tract was also started. The Super\-isors bought 112 acres 
from the same person, Andy Ryan, paying $100 per acre; houses were 
built and the land developed, and later more land was bought, and 
this was the first County Farm. Mr. Ryan is the same interesting 
character referred to by the pioneer, Harris Newmark, when he says 
in his "Sixty Years in Southern California: 1853-191.V': "Andrew 
W. Ryan, a Kilkenny Irishman commonly called Andy, after footing 
it from Virginia City to Visalia, reached Los Angeles on horseback 
and found employment with Phineas Banning as one of his drivers. 
From 1876 to 1879, he was county assessor, later associating himself 
with the Los Angeles Water Company, until, in 1902, the city came 
into control of the system." 

Mr. Martin also ser\-ed for eight years as JListice of the peace 
in the San Jose Township, when he resigned. He was a member of 
the school board of Pomona in the early eighties, and three times he 
ran for assemblyman in his district, and at one election, in a strong 
Republican district, was beaten by only seventeen votes. For two 
years he was street superintendent of Pomona, and for another two 
years he was a night watchman in Pomona, and since he ne\'er slept 
on the job, during that time not a house nor a store was broken Into. 
Three months after he resigned, Gerard's Butcher Shop at the corner 
of West Second and Main streets, was burglarized, and the safe was 
stolen anil taken to an empty lot west of the town and opened. 
In those early days, he shot wild duck and geese where Pomona 
now stands. 




^ 



5: 




HIS'JOKV AND lilOGKAIilV 359 

Selling out his Fast I-"ifth Street ranch in 1 S96. Mr. Martin 
bought a home on I"itth Street, near town, where he liveil a luiniher 
of years, and took up the bee industry on a ranch where Claremont 
is now located. lie recently sold his ranch in Antelope \'alley, but 
he is still interested in bee culture. 

Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Martin, and live are 
still living: Thomas C, Hugh, Robert A., and Maggie, now Mrs. 
Mark Picrcy of El Monte, and Florctta Caroline, now Mrs. Ed- 
ward Ward of Pasadena. Mr. Martin is past master in the Lexington 
Lodge of Masons, No. 104, of I'^l Monte, and with eight others 
organized Pomona Lodge No. 246, F. & A. .\L, in 1876, and he was 
their first master. Me served live years and is now the only living 
charter member. The lodge held its meetings in the old Central 
School in a room rented from the Odd Fellows. He was also Scribe 
of the Koval Arch Masons ami the Eastern Star. 



ROBl'RT .M. lEAGUE 

Occupying a distinctive place in the history of the citrus industry 
of Southern California, Robert M. Teague has made an in\aiuabie 
contribution to the fruit growers throughout the state through his 
many years of painstaking and skillful work in the propagation and 
improvement of nursery stock. He was born in Davis County, Iowa, 
on May 6, 1863, the son of Crawford Pinckney and Amanda ( May) 
Teague, referred to in more detail in the sketch of D. C. league, an 
older brother of Robert, who was next to the youngest in a family of 
eight children; he was brought to California by his parents across the 
great plains in a wagon drawn by horses, being six months en route. 

Robert grew up at Santa Rosa and there attended school, sur- 
rounded by an environment peculiar to the Ciolden State and which 
undoubtedly appealed, and not in \ain, to his e\ery faculty. Irom a 
lad he learned farming as practiced in those days, ilri\ nig the big 
teams in the grain fields, much of this work now being done by trac- 
tors. When seventeen years of age he came to San Dimas, in 1880, 
and with his father and brothers engaged in raising grain on the San 
Jose Rancho; all this time he was studying the soil and climate, so he 
was prepared, therefore, for the general awakening in 1889, just 
after the great "boom" here and took advantage of the conditions by 
embarking in the citrus nursery business, in which from the first he 
was unusually successful. In 1889 he purchased twenty acres of the 
San Jose tract on Cienega Avenue, where he raised nursery stock anil 
also set out oranges for a grove f)f his own. Then in 1901 he pur- 
chased twenty-five acres on Bonita A\ enue in San Dimas, then a 
hay field and with no water on the place. He secured water and 
piped it to the land and started a nursery on the place as well as 



360 HISTORY A\D lUOC.RAPHY 

setting out an orchard, uith a border ot palms, the consensus of 
opinion being that his gro\e presented the most beautiful apjiearance 
of any place in the district. He also purchased forty acres of bottom 
land, developing water on it and installing an electric pumping plant 
and this he set out to lemons, later selling this land but continuing the 
growing of trees in his nursery. 

Mr. Teague now owns ninety acres on La Habra Heights, which 
he will devote to nursery stock and citrus orchards. In his nursery 
his stock includes oranges, lemons, pomelos and limes, as well as sub- 
tropical trees, such as avocados, Feijoas, Cherimoya and Jujubes. His 
experimenting in subtropical fruits has proven them a conmiercial suc- 
cess. He is preparing and setting out the whole of his La Habra 
Heights holdings in orchards and nursery, and in the budding of his 
nursery stock he takes buds from record trees only. His headquar- 
ters continues on his home place at San Dimas, the business now being 
conducted as the R. M. Teague Citrus Nursery. He is the owner of a 
half interest in the CaHfoDiin Ciilttvalor, published in Los Angeles, 
and at one time was a half owner of the Pacific Rinul Press, but sold 
his interest in the publication in 19(J9. A firm believer in coopera- 
tion, he is a member of both the San Dimas Orange Growers Asso- 
ciation anti the San Dimas Lemon Growers Association, belie\-ing it 
the only way to make a success of citrus culture. 

Mr. Teague was one of the organizers of the Cat:foi-nia Associa- 
tion of Nurserymen, in which he has taken an actl\e part. When bud 
selection started he saw the feasibility of it and that it meant better 
stock and naturally a greater success for the grower. With others he 
was instrumental in organizing a bud selection department of the 
association for the piirpose of keeping records, thus having a reliable 
bud supply in all lines, and at the same time to standardize the \arie- 
ties. He was at one time a member of the Pacific Coast Association 
of Nurserymen. So steadily fortunate was he in obtaining the de- 
sired results that he has remained an active leader in that field for 
thirty years, and year b)' year has built up such a trade that he had the 
largest citrus nursery in the world, employing from thirty to 150 men 
and during the season of 1912 shipping some 286. 000 trees. One may 
imagine the mental labor alone invoKed when it is considered that 
quality anci not quantity has always been one of the unde\-iating stan- 
darcis of this dependable house, and that every tree is well tested 
before being disposed of to the patron. Mr. Teague's fontlness for 
nature has, of course, been one of the fundamental reasons for the 
markeil success he has made. 

On November 29, 1892, at Pomona, Mr. Teague was united 
in marriage with Miss Minnie E. Cowan, a nati\-e of Thornton, 
Ind., the daughter of E. A. Cowan, a pioneer of I'omona. He had 
been married in Intliana to Sarah I\irner, of \\'hom he was bereaved 



IIISTOkV AND lUOCRAlMIV 361 

when Mrs. league was unly live years of age. Mr. Cowan rerno\cJ 
to Mahomet, Champaign County. III., and in 18S9 came to Pomona, 
where he resided until his death. Mrs. league, who was the only 
chiki of this union, was educated in the pulilic schools of Indiana, 
(lifted ami gracious, she has pro\en a real helpmate, taking the keenest 
interest with her hushand in the many problems he has met anil mas- 
tered, and so sharing with him the credit for the splendiil results. 
She is \"ery popular in social circles ami is a member ot the Wednesday 
Afternoon Club of San Dimas. ami has taken an acti\e part in the 
work of the Red Cross. 

Mr. league is a member ot the Los Angeles Chamber ot Com- 
merce, the Pomona Lodge of LIks and the Los Angeles Athletic Club. 
It is readily seen that the careful work and experimenting that he has 
accomplished during his years of raising nursery stock has been of 
the greatest importance to fruit growers. His honest, straightforwanl 
policy of allowing none but the best and most perfectly budileil trees to 
be sold and shipped has been the means of raising the standard and 
i]uality of fruit grown, to the great satisfaction ot his patrons. I lis 
reliability anil integrity is unquestioned and it is the consL-nsus ot 
opinion that when "Bob" league, as he is familiarly called by his 
many friends, sa\s a thing is so. it is so, and in any transaction his 
word is as good as his bond. It is to men of his type that Southern 
California owes much of its greatness, for by his research anti careful 
work in the line of the propagation of trees he has been the means of 
contributing a great share to the abundance of wealth of its peoples. 



JA.MIS M. MITCHLLL 

Lew if any pioneers ha\e left behind them, on closing the book 
of life, a more enviable record than the late James M. Mitchell, for 
his dearly-cut ideal was to serve others besides himself, and in his 
laudable ambition he reached his goal. He was born in I'ranklin 
County. Ohio, November 1, 1835, a son of John Mitchell, a native of 
Ireland of Scotch parents. When James M. was five years old the 
family removed from Ohio and settled at Cumberlaml. 111., ami 
there the lad grew up and attended the country schools, while he 
worked on the farm with his father. Later he became a farmer on 
his own responsibility, and raised cattle and hogs with success. In 1853 
he returned to Ohio with the family and there he ownetl a farm of 
200 acres. 

In 1869 Mr. .Mitchell took a trip to California but, although 
much pleased with what he saw here, went back to Ohio and farmed 
until 1874. Once more he visited this state and for ten years had 
a dairy ranch near Los Angeles. Ohio again drew him to her borders 
and he farmed there for three years, then gave his 200-acre farm to 



362 lllS'l'ORV A\I) r.KJC.UAI'llV 

the Ohio Wesleyan College at Delaware, for which he received an 
annuity of four per cent, for the rest of his life. On coming to Cali- 
fornia in 1877 to remain, Mr. Mitchell located at Pomona, and here 
for many years followed orange growing. He owned sixty-nine acres 
of Navel and \'alencia oranges, all developed by himself, and was well 
and widely known as an authority on citrus culture. He was also inter- 
ested in a marmalade factory, and was one of the incorporators of the 
Pomona Sanitary Laundry. He also owned valuable real estate here. 
Mr. Mitchell was first married in 1860 to Miss Anna Phillips, 
now deceased. In 1904 he was again married, this time to Mrs. Anna 
Lindsay, a native of Iowa. She was the mother of four children by 
her first husband. Mr. Mitchell was a member of the Methodist 
Church and for forty years was a class leader, and he filled other 
offices in the church. He was active in the prohibition movement and 
all other mo\ements for the general good in the county and state. 
He died, mourned by a large circle of friends, in 1908. 



LEWIS C. MEREDITH 

A far-seeing, experienced pioneer rancher who helped convert the 
barley fields of the San Jose tract, a part of th^ old San Jose Rancho, 
Into the blooming orchards of oranges and lemons of today, is Lewis 
C. Meredith, a pleasant and affable Quaker gentleman who was born 
on a farm in Wayne County, Ind., September 17, 1847, the son of 
James and Mary (Malsby) Meredith, both of whom are now de- 
ceased. The father was born in Chester, Pa., and the mother in 
Maryland and they moved westward and became pioneer farmers in 
Indiana. They were the parents of three boys and two girls and 
Lewis C. was the thinl child and he is the only son now living. He 
has two sisters now li\ing, Mrs. Margaret M. Samuels of La \'erne 
and Mrs. Lydia Russell of Oneida, Kansas. 

Lewis was se\'en years of age when his parents moxed to Jay 
County, Ind., where he received a good education in the public 
schools. From a boy he had assisted on the home farm, so after his 
school days were o\er, he continued to be of much assistance to his 
father until 1870, when he decided to go West, his first location being 
on a farm in Mills County, Iowa, where he was successfully engaged in 
husbandry until 1877. He then moved still farther west, locating in 
Nemaha County, Kans., where he also followed farming for a period 
of ten years. In both states he was a pioneer at farming and helped 
break the paths of civilization. 

In the fall of 1877, when the Coast was agog with the sudden 
de\-elopment of California and Easterners were pouring in on e\ery 
train, Mr. Meredith decided to come to the Golden State. He located 
at San Dimas antl bought property. When he came here his intention 



inST()R\' WD I'.IOCRAI'IIV 365 

was to retire, and without a thought of going into horticulture, hut 
after building a residence, he purchased six acres in the San Jose tract, 
paying $200 an acre. It was raw land when he started improvements. 
set it out to oranges and lemons and prepared to cultiv ate and care for 
them. He made a success and soon after bought twenty-seven acres 
at $100 per acre. This was also raw land, but .Mr. .Meredith, nothing 
daunted, cleared and leveled it. I le saw the value and great need of 
water, sunk a well and obtained a gooil How of water and instalieil an 
electric pumping plant; this enabled him to grow a splendiil orchard. 
now all full-bearing Navel and \'alencla oranges, and lemons. His 
ranch with its comfortable modern residence is beautifully locateil on 
Bonita and Grand avenues. Believing in cooperation, he was one of 
the original members of the San Dimas Orange (irowers .Association, 
as well as the San Dimas Lemon Cirowers Association, ha\ ing served 
as a director in both. He is a stockholder in the j-irst National Bank 
of San Dimas and is one of the original stockholders and directors of 
the American National Bank of Pomona. Aside from his activitv in 
horticulture in Southern California, Mr. .Meredith set out and im- 
proved a twenty-acre orange ranch in lulison. Kern Countv. which he 



still owns. 



In Jay County, Iml., on .March 4, 1875, occurred the first mar- 
riage of Mr. .Meredith, when he took for his wife Miss .Amanda 
Griest, of whom he was bereaved January 20. 1910. .After remain- 
ing a widower for six years, he was again married. February 12, 1916, 
the ceremony occurring at Los Angeles, where he united with .Miss 
Grace F. Swerdfeger, a native of Brown County, Kans., ancl a ilaugh- 
ter of Charles and Eliza (Spencer) Swerdfeger, born in Canada and 
Indiana, respectively, who became pioneer settlers in Brown County, 
Kans.. where they aided in developing that country, emerging from 
Its early ups and downs of droughts and grasshoppers to well-to-do 
farmers and stock raisers. Mrs. .Meredith came to I'omona in 1895 
and graduated at the I'omona High School and the Los Angeles State 
Normal, after which she attended the University of California at 
Berkeley. She then engaged in educational work, following the pro- 
fession of teaching for twelve years. A cultured and refined woman, 
possessing much business ability, she encourages her husband in his 
horticultural and business enterprises. Two lovelv daughters, twins. 
have blessed this latter union and thev bear the names ofMarv Louise 
and Lois Elizabeth. 

Mr. Meredith is a member of the Societv of Friends, but is 
broad and liberal in his views. There being no church of his denom- 
ination in the neighborhood, with his wife he attends the .Methodist 
Episcopal Church of La Verne, of which she is a member. .Mr. .Mere- 
dith k a Republican and an Elk, being a member of Pomona Lodge 
No. 789. Being very optimistic for the future greatness and possi- 



366 HISTORY AND inOC.RAI'l l^■ 

hilities of the soil aiul climate of this section, he has al\\a\s had a 
li\e interest in both the progress of Pomona N'alley and the preserxa- 
tion of its historical annals. 



JAMES ARNOLD BLAISDELL, D. D. 

California may well be proud of the caliber and inspiring ideals 
of so many of the educators attracted to her rapidly-expanding com- 
monwealth, and few of such builders of the great American Republic 
deser\e more prominent mention than James Arnold Blaisdell, D. D., 
the scholarly and aggressi\-e President of Pomona College. He was 
born at Beloit, Wis., on December 15, 1867, the son of James Joshua 
Blaisdell, horn in Caanan, X. H., a graduate of Dartmouth in 1846, 
for forty years professor of philosophy in Beloit College — that insti- 
tution of learning so influential in the de\-elopment of Wisconsin society 
and, therefore, an effecti\e, splendid memorial to its founders, among 
whom, it may be remembered, was the self-denying missionary, the 
Rev. Aratus Kent, who once begged to be sent to a field of labor "so 
hard that no one else would like it." Mrs. Blaisdell was Susan Ann 
Allen before her marriage, a native of New Hampshire, a graduate of 
Mt. Holyoke Seminary in the class of 1847, a pupil of Mary Lyon. 
She survives her husband and makes her home with President Blaisdell. 

Ha\ing been graduated from Beloit College in 1889 with the 
degree of B. A., Mr. Blaisdell entered the PLirtford (Conn.) Theo- 
logical Seminary, where he pursued his theological studies from 1889 
until 1892, when he was ordained a minister of the Congregational 
Church, recel\'ing in the same year from Beloit College the additional 
Master of Arts degree. On December 29 of that year, also, he was 
marrietl at Beloit to Miss Florence Lena Carrier, of that city and 
a graduate of the Mt. Holyoke (Mass.) Seminary, in the class of '92. 
From 1892 until 1896, Rev. Mr. Blaisdell was pastor of the Congre- 
gational Church at Waukesha, Wis., while from 1896 to 190.3 he was 
in charge of similar work at 01i\-et, Mich., the seat of 01i\-et College. 
Returning to his nati\'e city and his Alma Mater in 190.3, he spent the 
next se\'en years as professor of Biblical literature and ancient Oriental 
history in Beloit College; ami in 1910 came West to Claremont as the 
leader of the faculty of Pomona College. 

Since his adxent in California Doctor Blaisdell has participated 
more and more in the intellectual and eilucational life of the state, anci 
especially of Pomona and the Valley, antl through his professional 
work, his addresses and contributions to the advanced press has steadily 
built up a reputation of much value to the aspiring institution com- 
mitted to his guidance. Four children — J. Brooks, Paul C, Allen C. 
and Florence Barbara Blaisdell — ha\e one by one added to the life 
of the president's family circle, and both Doctor and Mrs. Blaisdell 



IIISTORV AND r.loCRAl'llV 367 

have been untiring in their efforts to elevate both the standards of 
voung Christian manhood and of decent American citizenship, so that 
during the recent crisis of the Nation, no one was ever in doubt as to 
the attitude and the activity of Pomona College, its trustees, instruc- 
tors and students in the great work of supporting the g()\ernment in all 
its war programs. During the war he was sent abroad by the Con- 
gregational Churches on a tour of investigation of conditions in Japan, 
particularly in regard to educational values. He had the privilege 
tluring the war of traseling all over Japan and of aildressing auili- 
cnces, uni\ersities and other assemblies in regard to America's attitude 
toward the war. lie also visited Korea and China. After four months 
spent abroad he returned home, and since that time has been in con- 
tinual demand for addresses regarding the situation in the Far Fast. 

In 1910. the vear when Professor Hlaisdell was made President ol 
Pomona C(jllege, Beloit College, in recognition of his accumulating 
scholarship during years of epoch-making work for the advancement 
of truth and the assurance of a better humanity, conferretl upon him 
the degree of Doctor of Divinity; nor would anyone, familiar with the 
personality, the accomplishments and the influence of this zealous rep- 
resentative citizen, who has ilone so much to extend the fame of Po- 
mona, deem the honor otherwise than worthilv and wiseh bestowed. 



KKIIAKl) ii.\KKl 11 \V1IF.1-:LAX 

The memory of those who ha\e so li\ eil that they ha\e blessed 
the world bv their living, their work and their striving, is always held 
dear by all who know the source of such blessings, and this is certainly 
true in the case of the late R. B. Wheelan, who was born at St. Louis, 
Mo., on August 4, 1858. and reared in Pike County. 111. Later he 
removeil to Hume, Bates County, Mo., where he lived on a farm. 

In 1885 Mr. Wheelan first came West to California, and fortu- 
nately cast his lines in the pleasant waters of Pomona, securing work 
with the Pomona Land and Water Company. Next he moved to Los 
Angeles, where he was first a motorman, and then a conductor, on the 
Los Angeles Electric Railway. After six years' service with that 
company, he bought an orange gro\e of twenty acres at San Dimas, 
and there he erected a home. Later, he came back to Pomona and 
established here a wholesale and retail cigar business. He became 
\ery popular, made many friends, was always willing to help anyone 
in distress, and prospered as the result of his largc-heartedness, fidelity 
and enterprise. When he soKI out his business, he bought a brick block 
in Pomona, which he later trailed for a ranch of 100 acres six miles 
southeast of Chino. 

At Butler. Bates County, Mo., on Julv 27. I 88 1, .Mr. Wheelan 
married Miss Julia Femler, a nati\c of North Carolina and the 
daughter of John .V. atid Malinda Femler. Two children blessed 



368 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

their union, Ethel H. Wheelan and Hattie L., wife of L. W. Seney. 
On March 28, 1912, Mr. Wheelan died, mourned by many circles and 
especially by his fellow members in the Pomona Elks, the Odd 
Fellows, the Foresters, the Loyal Order of Moose and the Fraternal 
Brotherhood. Mrs. Wheelan is a popular member of the Women of 
Woodcraft, the Fraternal Brotherhood and the Fraternal Aid, where 
her charming personality is highly appreciated. 

After the lamented death of her husband, Mrs. Wheelan was 
afforded an excellent opportunity to display her unusual business 
ability, and in 1912 she took the apartment house at 145 East Pearl 
Street, which she owns and conducts, while she resides in a pretty, 
modern bungalow in the rear. 



ELMER STRALEY 

An expert rancher especially well-versed in orange culture is 
Elmer Straley, who was born in Fayette County, Ohio, on April 12, 
1861. In time he removed to Van Wert County in the same state 
and located at the town of Van Wert, thirty miles east of Fort Wayne, 
where he engaged in the manufacture of drain-tiling, for which he 
employed from nine to thirtv-four men. He put in thousands of miles 
of drain pipe in the state and built up a reputation for quality that was 
capital itself. At the same time he followed grain farming on hi:; 
farm of eighty acres, and he also was manager of a farm of 160 
acres near by. 

In 1894, Mr. Straley came out to California and was fortunate 
in choosing Pomona for his home and new fieki of operations. F^or 
the first two years he picked oranges, in the employ of others; and 
later he contracted to pick the fruit, making up his own crew of from 
thirteen to twenty men. This line of activity he followed tor fifteen 
years or more, and during that time he hauled over a million boxes 
to the packing houses. 

Mr. Straley bought his present ranch of ten acres, at the corner 
of North Garey and Cucamonga avenues, in North Pomona, in 1899, 
and set the land out to seedling stock which he budded to Navels 
and \'alencias, devoting half of the acreage to each. He also, little 
by little, assumed charge of the development of other orchards in the 
district. His crop in 1919 made up 4,000 picked boxes. He also owns 
a ten-acre ranch of Na\el oranges in the San Dimas district. More 
than that, being well versed in orange culture, he has bought and sold 
a number of good orange groves. He is a member and stockholder in 
the Pomona Fruit Exchange. 

On .March 7, 1889, and in the town of Van Wert, Ohio, Mr. 
Straley was married to Minnie Phillipy, a native of Ohio, by whom he 
has had six children. Lola is Mrs. E. E. Bozeman of Madera; Gilbert 



llIS'r(!RV AM) I'.loGRArilV 371 

is an expert on irrigation ami priininj^. ami lives at I'omoiia ; lie 
served in the L'. S. Army about six months; Bernard served tor 
eighteen months in the L'. S. Army in the World War, stationed at 
Camp Kearny; and Thurloe, N'erda, and \'esta. Alt hut Lola and 
Cjilhert were horn in California, (iilhert and Bernard are members 
of the Idks Lodge. 



ABRA.M BAKFR 

As one of the Argonauts who were led to California by the tales of 
her gold mines, Abram Baker made the long, perilous journey aroumi 
Cape Horn on a sailing \essel, landing at San Francisco in 1S49, 
when thousands of gokl seekers were on the way to reach the mines, 
there to endure untold hardships in their search for goUl. Mr. Baker 
followed mining here for a period of live years, and during this time he 
traveled the whole length of the State, and that at a time when journey- 
ing was not the pastime that it is toilay. 

Of Lnglish descent, Abram Baker was born in New York City on 
December 26, 1825. He was the son of James Baker, also a nati\e of 
that city, and for years prominent there in merchandise circles as a 
wholesale cloth merchant. Llis mother was NLiry (irecne, a descemi- 
ant of General Greene of Revolutionary fame. Abram received a thor- 
ough education in the excellent schools of the 1-lastern metropolis, a 
training which stood him in good stead in the mature years of his life. 
After his live years in the land of gold and sunshine, Mr. Baker re- 
turned to his native state, ami soon afterwards he met the lady who 
later became his wife. Miss Mary Jane Blauvelt, with whom he was 
united in marriage on December 6, IS.'JS. She was also born in New 
York City on August 13, 18.31, a daughter of Richard and Nfary (De 
La Montaigne) Blauvelt of old Knickerbocker and French LIuguenot 
stock. .Mrs. Baker was reared in an environment of culture and reluie- 
ment. It is an interesting fact that in her girlhood when, as was the 
custom, she was playfully teased about sweethearts, she always replied 
that hers was in California, and, strange to say, she married a returneil 
gold seeker ami forty-niner. 

Abram Baker was for some years engaged as a coal merchant in 
\ew York City, but being desirous of having the freedom and enjoy- 
ment of country life, he soki his business and purchaseil a farm at 
Bounti Brook, \. J., where he applied himself scientilically to his 
chosen life of husbandry and made a pronounced success, finally retir- 
ing anil removing to Asbury I'ark, N. J. After nineteen years of resi- 
dence at that famous resort he determineil to come to California. I lis 
son, Dr. \'inccnt Baker, preceded him, and selecteil the La N'erne dis- 
trict, where he purchased a lifty-eight-acre ranch on the Base Line 
Roatl, lifty acres of which was already set out to citrus trees. .Abram 
Baker, with his family, arriveil at La N'erne in September, \^>(H. I le 



37J IIUSTORV AXU DU )C.RAI'1IV 

improved the remainder and was deeply interested in his son's care of 
the Navel and Valencia oranges and lemons which comprised the grove. 
He built a beautiful large residence and named his ranch "Thistlecroft" 
on account of his admiration for the Scotch. However, he was not 
long permitted to enjoy his California home, being called by death 
November 13, 19(15. Mr. Baker was a Methodist and an active and 
loyal supporter of that church. He was always intensely interested in 
California and enjoyed recalling those early days of gold seeking, 
although their hardships were to a great extent erased by the mellowing 
hand of Time, and only the daring and prowess of those early pioneers 
remained vivid. He was happy to spend his last days in this sunny land 
and ever delighted to see the wonderful progress the years had brought. 
Mr. and Mrs. Baker were the parents of four children: Mary 
Estelle, now Mrs. Gaston, resides on the Base Line Road; Harriet is 
Mrs. Joseph C. Pierson of La Verne; S. Louise, who gracefully as- 
sists her mother in presiding over the home, and \'incent Washington, 
who was graduated as a D. D. S. in New York City, and now li\'es in 
Claremont, devoting his time to citrus culture. Mrs. Baker is a. woman 
of charming personality, well read and well informed and an ardent 
Christian Scientist; and at the age of eighty-eight years is hale and 
hearty and in full enjoyment of all her faculties. She continues to 
reside at the okl family home, "Thistlecroft," and here with her 
daughter, Louise, she stiil dispenses a gracious hospitality. 



KLLIOTF HINMAN 

One t)f the representatue men of the Valles', Avho during his life 
in the state was prominent in e\ery enterprise for the good of the 
people, and supported churches, charities and all public welfare work, 
making his friends by the score and keeping them through a long life, 
LUiott Hinman was a citi/en of whom any community might well be 
proud, and it could in)t fail to have benefited from his being a part 
of it. A native of Illinois, he was born in Henry County, on the old 
Hinman homestead, for which the family have a patent direct from the 
(ioxernment, and the place is still in their possession. 

l''ducated in the public schools, Mr. Hinman early decided upon a 
business career, and enterctl the lumber and grain business at Cam- 
bridge, 111. This he continued until his health failed, when he came to 
Pomona, and soon recovering in the balmy climate, embarked in the 
fuel and feed business, bought out different firms from time to time, 
until he had created an extensi\e trade and maintained the leading 
establishment in that line in the Valley. Interestctl from the beginning 
in the horticultural de\elopmcnt of the section, he bought and sold 
\arious orange tracts during his lifetime, and always retained from 
twenty to thirty acres of oranges under cultivation for his own recrea- 



IllSToRN' AM) r.K )C.KAl'in 375 

tion. A man of broad and lilicral \ icws, ready to help the human 
being in trouble and sorrow, Mr. ilniman endeared himselt to all who 
came in contact with his splendid character, and his popularity was not 
confined t<j any one circle. A Keputilican in politics, he served as mayor 
ot Pomona for a time, and in fraternal lite he was a member of the 
rfie Masons and ot the Otld lellows; while as a member of the 
Chamber of Commerce he cooperated with the business men of the city 
in promoting its best interests. In religious belief he was a member 
ot the Episcopal Church. 

I he marriage of .Mr. Ilinman, which occurreil in I lenry County, 
III., united him with Nora Nolan, and three children blessed their 
union: I- ranees, Mrs. I-. G. \ aughn of Pomona; Susan 11.. Mrs. 
G. M. Bonham of Pomona; and Harry H., manager of \.. Hinman 
& Son of that city. On No\embcr 7, 1917, Elliott Ilinman passed to 
his reward, aiul his loss was keenly felt in a community which had 
come to knou his real worth and his kiiully charity towanls all. 



DA\ID CLINTON TIIAGL'E 

Few men, probably, in all Pomona Valley are better known than 
"Dave" Teague, the sturdy old-timer who had the wisdom, some years 
ago, to say that when he had amassed sufficient for old age he would 
retire, and the good fortune to succeed in the amassing, so that he was 
able to carry out his sensible and highly creditable resolution. He 
was born on a farm near Salem, Ind., on October 23, 1847. His 
father, Crawford P. Teague, was a native of Indiana, born in 182.^; 
and Grandfather John Teague was born on the Cireat Pedee River in 
Rowan County, N. C, whose father came from the north of Ireland 
and settled in North Carolina. John Teague served in the war of 
1812 and soon afterwards he was married to .Mary Ihomas, who was 
of Scotch descent, the two removing to the territory of Indiana in 
1817, locating in what was then considered a wilderness, ami engageil 
in farming on the White Ri\er in (jrcen County. In 1 85 1 he with other 
families of his clan removed to Davis County, Iowa, where he and 
his wife spent their last days. 

Crawford P. league after reaching manhood marricil Amanda 
Reed May, who was a native of Kentucky, (irandfather Benjamin 
F. May was a Marylander and removed from Baltimore to Kentucky, 
and thence to Imliana, where he died. It was in 1857 that C. P. 
Teague sold his farm in Indiana and removed with his family by 
horse teams and wagons across the state of Illinois to Iowa, locating 
on government laml near Iroy, Davis County, Iowa. He broke the 
raw prairie with ox teams and went through all the hardships of the 
early settlers. Becoming greatly interested in the Pacific Coast coun- 
try in 1865 he disposed of the farm he hail improved and moved 
with his famiK '■■ C difornia. Outfitting with hr)rse teams and wagons 



376 HISTORY AXl) lUOGRAPlIY 

he joined a large ox train and thus crossed the plains. Crossing the 
Missouri River May 1 they proceeded up the south side of the Piatte 
until almost to Colorado, when they crossed to the north side and 
made their way via Fort Bridgcr and Salt Lake City and Austin, 
Nc\'., antl then came into Calitornia by the Lassen and Hot Creek, 
trail into the beautiful, broad Sacramento Valley, arri\-ing October 13, 
186.'?. They remained two years in Tehama County, then they moved 
to a farm near Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, and here his wife died. 
In 1878 he removed to San Dimas, where with his sons he engaged 
in wheat growing on the San Jose Rancho, and when it was sub- 
dl\ided he was one of the Hrst to set out an orange orchard and 
subsequently planted a second orchard, becoming an enthusiastic citrus 
grower. He died at San Dimas March 10, 1910. 

Da\e Teague, as he is familiarly called by his inany friends, when 
four years old was taken to Iowa, where he obtained his schooling, 
such as it was, during the winters in a rural log schoolhouse. In 
1865 he set out to cross the great continent for the Pacific Coast, 
when a lad of se\'enteen years, reaching the smiting Sacramento Valley 
after a journey of six months. After two years spent in Tehama 
County we find him located near Santa Rosa, Sonoma County. There 
he began farming for himself ami there he was married in No\'ember, 
1875, being united with Miss Annie Runyon, who was born in Hickory 
County, Mo., a daughter of Robert B. Runyon, the family removing 
to Sonoma County in 1871. Mr. Teague i-emoved with his family to 
San Dimas in 1878, where with his father and brother he was among 
the early grain raisers on the San Jose Rancho. When the ranch was 
subdi\'ided in 1887 he purchased forty acres and began citrus growing. 
In 1888 with his father he set out the first orange grove in the San 
Dimas district and with his brother, Robert M. Teague, he set out 
and grew the first nursery stock in San Dimas. He lost the first crop 
of oranges in 1891 through the great wind storm that scattered the 
fruit everywhere. The second year he shipped East and was charged 
back tor freight, so the sale of his nursery stock was of great aid to 
him and sa\ed the day for him. After a few years in the nursery 
business he quit it and devoted his time to his orchards. He improved 
in all lorty acres ol oranges and lemons that are now full bearing and 
fine gro\-es. 

When he with others found that the profits from their crop were 
o\ei-balanced by the excessi\e freight charges, they began to look 
about to find some way to retie\e the producer and determined on co- 
operation in marketing the fruit, and since then he has been active in 
the \'ai-ious cooperati\'e fruit associations in his district. He was an 
original member of the Indian Hill Orange Growers Association until 
the San Dimas ( )range (irowers Association \\-as starteil, when he 
was its president toi- many \ears. During this time he was an acti\'e 



IIIST* )RV AND P.IOr.RAl'IIV 377 

mcmbcr of the S;iii Antonio I'ruit I'.xchan^c tOr sixteen \c:irs arul 
prcsiilcnt of its hoard ol tlircctors tor many years. Wishing to retire, 
he sold all of his horticultural hoklinirs August 4, 1911. since which 
time he continues to make his home in San Dimas in the full enjoy- 
ment ot health, an in\etcrate reader along historical and scientific 
lines, in which he is deeply interested. Mr. Teapiue was one of the 
orp;ani/.ers of the lirst National Bank of San Dimas ami a member of 
its board of directors from its organization until June, 191 S, when he 
resigned. He was also an organizer ami was a director in the San 
Dimas Saxings Bank until the same date. 

.Mr. Teague was bereaved of his faithful wife September 11, 
1890, who left him fne children. Walter is a landscape gardener in 
Santa Barbara ami is married and has three children. Ilattie .M. 
became the wife of John B. Brubakcr and she died leaving one child. 
Hlmer K. is a horticulturist in San Dimas who is also married and 
has two children. lulith is the wite of John I'. McLean, residing in 
San Dimas, and has three children. Russell W. is a nurseryman in 
San Dimas as well as at Yuma, Ari/., and is now the largest nursery- 
man in Arizona. He married Helena Kirkelic, who was born in 
Minnesota, and they have four children. 

.Mr. league was made a Mason in Pomona Lodge No. 246, F. 
and A. M.. from which he afterwards demitted and became a charter 
member of San Dimas Lodge Xo. 428, F. and A. M. He was ex- 
alted in Pomona Chapter Xo. 76, R. A. .M., ami knighted in the 
Southern California Commamlery Xo. 37, K. T., Pomona; he is a 
member of Pomona Council Xo. 21, R. & S. M.. and of Al .NLalaikah 
Temple, A. A. (J. X. .M. S., Los Angeles. His membership in the 
Order of the I'astern Star is in Pomona Chapter Xo. 110. Lie is a 
charter member of Pomf)na Lodge Xo. 789, B. P. O. E. Always 
interested in the cause of education, he was active in starting the llrst 
schools in the vicinity, tirst in the La \'erne Heights district, and in 
1887 they organizeil the San Dimas school district, of which he was a 
member of the lirst board of directors and was active in building up 
the excellent schools of this section. 

A Republican in national politics. Mr. Teague was for three years 
a member of the Los Angeles County Highway Commission, and he 
therein accomplished much in public improvements, continuing the 
good work long ago done by him and his brother when, as among 
the earliest settlers, they found the country more like a wilderness. 
with plenty of work cut out for the pioneer. He has always been 
public spirited, and laid his hand to the plow with right good-hearteil- 
ncss. He is now one of the oKlest settlers in San Dimas and few men 
arc more highly respected, for he is much admired for his liberality, 
kintlness and sterling worth, and his example is well worthy of 
emul:iti(iii. 



378 iiis'i'oin" Axi) nl()(■.K.\l'l[^■ 



LEWIS LEWISON 

In these days of strenuous effort the \ndn who hopes to acquire 
success in any calling must be one of brains and persistency, with a 
thorouti;h Isnowleilge of the work to which he is devoting his atten- 
tion, to "make two blades of grass grow where only one grew before," 
and to dc\-elop the resources of his section of the state. Such a man 
is Lewis Lewison, Avhose orange grove in Pomona is an example of 
what intensive methods can accomplish in this fertile region. He is 
a native of Denmark, born near Wiborg, Jutland, September 9, 186.3. 
The second oldest in a family of six children, he attended the public 
schools of his native land, and when sixteen years of age was appren- 
ticed to the trade of blacksmith, and followed it until reaching his 
twentieth year. He entered the Danish Army, in the Sixth Regiment, 
Fourth Company, and served six months. 

In 1887 the young emigrant came to the United States, and first 
located on a farm near Dannebrog, Howard County, Xebr., two years 
later removing to Wyoming, where he worked on a cattle ranch. In 
the spring of 1891 he came to Pomona, and for the next eight and 
one-half years worked for Fred J. Smith on his orange ranch, for the 
last three years acting as foreman of the ranch. 

After this thorough training in citrus development, Mr. Lewison 
boLight his, own ranch, in 1900, situated on the corner of East Kingsley 
anil Washington avenues, and consisting of four acres, two acres at 
that time being In prunes, one acre In apricots and one acre devoted 
to oranges. He took out the deciduous fruits, and also replanted one- 
half acre of the oranges, raising the nursery stock from seed stock, 
planted and budded the trees himself, and watched it grow Into a fine 
producing orchard; his long experience and excellent care made success 
a foregone conclusion, and in the 1918-19 season he marketed 2300 
boxes of oranges from his acreage. In 1917 Mr. Lewison bought 
another orange grove of four acres, one block east of his home place 
on Kingsley Avenue. This place was badly run down, and he has 
improved it to the extent in two years' time that his 1918-19 crop 
netted him 1 100 boxes from this acreage. In 1900 he set out a ten- 
acre grove at La Verne for Doctor Bateman, antl has also set out a 
number in the Valley, his knowledge as to planting and dex'cloplng 
making his ser\ices \'aluable along these lines. 

The marriage of Mr. Lewison united him with Christine Jorgen- 
sen, born on the Island of Laaland, Denmark, and two sons have 
blessed their union, both educated in the Pomona schools: Alfred 
enlisted In 1917 for service In the World War, and served as mechanic 
In the aeroplane dI\ision in Trance; he was tllscharged In San Fran- 
cisco, on June 14, 1919, and Is now an employee in the Opera Garage, 
Pomona. Julius enlisted at the same time with his brother, as 
chauHeui% but was dischai-ged after three months' time on account of 









1 




IJ 




%r 



^ 




HISTORY AM) r.loC.kAl'IIV oSl 

ill-health. In fraternal orders Mr. Lewison has been pntminent in 
Pomona. He is a member of I'omona I.otlge No. 246, I. ( ). ( ). 1-., 
the Encampment. Canton and the Rebekahs, all in I'omona, ami also 

K*»l#-»fi(Tc ^/^ f-K*» |.*f n f#»rii'i I \ti\ In i-»*»lifirc n *' ic n l^i'ntinlirnn rnr- 



always practical. 



MRS. I.I.1/AI51 111 IAMB 



An extcnsi\e land owner, well endowed with this world's goods, 
and highly respected and loved for her many beautiful and sterling 
traits of character is Mrs. Klizabeth Lamb, widow of the late Wil- 
liam D. Lamb, prominent pioneer citizen of Southern California. 
Her life has indeed been rich in varied experiences in that sort of inter- 
est and adventure that was the accompaniment of pioneer days, nor 
has it been unmixed with hardships, some of them being almost 
unbelievable. 

Mrs. Lamb is a nati\e of l\nglani,i, her birthplace being at Mill- 
ings, Lancashire, June 24, 1850. Her parents were John R. atul 
Sarah (Jolley) Holt, also of I'.nglish birth. The father was a wheel- 
wright and joiner and he followed this line of work for a number of 
years in his nati\e land. They were the parents of nine children, and 
when I'.lizabeth was thirteen years of age she came to America with 
two sisters and a brother. Ihey sailed from Li\erpool in May. 
1863, and even then Elizabeth's adventurous experiences began. After 
seven weeks of storm and calm they finally landed at Castle Garden. 
New York, coming across on the old condemned sailer "Antarctic," 
W'hich was sunk on the return voyage. Their destination was L tah 
and they made their way across the country as far as Omaha by train, 
thence to Salt Lake City by ox team, arriving there six months after 
their departure from Liverpool. Here they located and later Eliza- 
beth made the acquaintance of \\'illiam D. Lamb, to whom she was 
married on October 12, 1S6S. Mr. Lamb was then only nineteen years 
of age, but his life had been filleil with arduous experiences, e\en at 
that time. Born in Onondaga County, N. ^ ., he was left motherless 
at the age of four, and li\ed for a time with an uncle near (irand 
Rapids, Mich. When he was ele\en years old he set out to make his 
way alone, working his way through to Omaha on railroad grading 
work. When he was about fourteen years oKl his father came up 
from the South and the two crossed the plains in a Mormon freight 
train. At that time he had not even learned to read, tor his life hat! 



382 HISTORY AXL) lUUtiRAPHY 

been so full of toil that there had been no time for schooling, but after 
reaching Salt Lake City he managed, e\en in the midst of many duties, 
to learn the alpliabet and acquire the rudiments ol an education. 

After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Lamb remained in Salt Lake 
City for a time, and there their eldest daughter, ALiry, now Mrs. L. 
J. Levengood, was born. I'hen they decided to locate in California 
and when they arri\ed here \lv. Lamb earned a living by chopping 
and hauling wood on what was later the Lucky Baldwin Ranch, Mrs. 
Lamb and her little one making their home in their centered wagon. 
They then moved on to El Monte and tried farming there, but there 
was a long season of drought and all their corn and other produce was 
dried up. Their next move was to Azusa, where they lived in the 
canyon, afterwards named Lamb's Canyon for Mr. Lamb. Here 
two of their children were born, but they lost both of them and they 
were buried there. Mr. Lamb next bought a squatter's claim of 160 
acres four miles from Huntington Beach, but in 1879, after they had 
li\ed there four years, litigation arose and he and other claimants to 
adjoining tracts were dispossessed, the Los Bolsa Company winning 
the SLUt. His next purchase was forty acres of the Stearns Ranch at 
Newhope; here they settled, made many impro\ements and prospered. 
They subsequently added to their acreage and Mrs. Lamb still owns 
120 acres there. The next purchase was 220 acres at Garden Grove 
and, in 1892 he closed the deal for a ranch of 720 acres at a very 
reasonable price, and here Mrs. Lamb now makes her home. At 
first they only ran cattle on these lands, but they have now been 
brought up to a high state of cultivation. They were always among 
the most progressive farmers of the community, as their place was 
always equipped with the latest inventions in farm machinery that 
could be obtained, and the example of their enterprise meant much tor 
the progress and welfare of their neighborhood. 

For several years Mr. Lamb was the resident manager of the 
Los Bolsa Land Company and other large ranches, and through his 
work much improvement was made on the tracts imder his charge. He 
early saw the necessity for drainage and irrigation and with several 
associates purchased a dredger, the first of its kind in this territory, 
and thus completely revolutionizeci the early methods of carrying on 
this work. In no instance, perhaps, is his perseverance and progres- 
sive spirit more plainly shown than in the fact that after he had em- 
barked in business for himself he employed a man to keep his books 
and paid him an extra salary for his personal instruction in reading, 
arithmetic and the general principles of business, this arrangement 
continuing foi- three years; after that he was able to superintend 
every detail of his extensive business interests for himself and with 
marked success. Mr. Lamb passed away in March, 1911, and is 
buried at Santa Ana. Uke her husband, Mrs. Lamb had only the 



iiiSTokv .\\\) i;i()Gk.\riiv 3S3 

most limited opportunities to secure an education, but this was fully 
made up tlirou^li the practical business experience and "hard knocks" 
of pioneer liays. She has always been a woman of jrreat business and 
executive ability, and ever shared with her husband the burdens ami 
responsibilities of their jjreat undertakings ami much of his success 
was due to her splendid judgment atul management. 

Mr. anil Mrs. Lamb were the parents of nine children, live of 
whom are living: Mary, now .Mrs. lulwani J. Levengood oi I'omona, 
was first married to William I lamner. by whom she hail two chiltiren. 
Jessie M. and Anson; Wm. Anson and \'ina dieel in childhood; 
Arthur, now deceased, marrieil .Mary Stephens and had one son. J,eo 
Ford Lamb, who resides in Los .\ngeles; Walter 1)., a rancher near 
Santa Ana, married (iertrude DuBois. a daughter of \'alentine Dii- 
Bois of Santa Ana. and they have two children; Laura is the wife of 
Gregory Harper and they have two chiKlren. han IL and Harold L. ; 
Hugo J., a rancher near Huntington Beach, married llffie Stockton, 
and two children have been born to them. Lois and Alice; I'.arl A. is 
also engaged in ranching near Huntington Beach; he marrieii J'.tta 
Bradley and they are the parents of three children, Rachel I'].. Wm. 
G. and Alvan; Robert dieii at the age of four months. 

Mrs. Lamb still makes her home on her 720-acre ranch south- 
east of Huntington Beach, her son-in-law and daughter. Mr. and Mrs. 
Gregory Harper, living with her. and she is acti\e and Interested in 
the management of her properties and extensive business interests. 
A woman of great force of character, withal kind and considerate, she 
is greatly beloved by her family and a large circle of friends. A true 
type of the pioneer woman, her life is a record of accomplishment and 
good deeds that will leave their beneficent inHuence on the genera- 
tions to come. 



DA\ ID C. CROOKSILWK 

In the life of this successful citizen of Pomona are illustrated the 
results of perseverance and energy, coupled with strict integrity. Men 
possessing the fundamental characteristics to which he is heir have ever 
been regarded as bulwarks of the communities in which they have lived, 
and Pomona has been most fortunate in having among her citizens so 
many real buibiers and public-spiriteil men. Born January 10. 1S51. 
in Butler County. Pa.. David C. Crookshank is n son of William ami 
Jane A. (Hayes) Crookshank. farmer folk, both now deceased. 
Twelve children were born to this worthy couple, five boys ami seven 
girls, all reaching maturity but one. 

The eighth child in the family. David C. received a common school 
education and gained a practical knowledge of agricultural work on 
the home farm; his two brothers were in the Civil War, and David had 



oS4 nis'r( )\<\ AND I'.K )(■.l^\l'll^■ 

to stay at home and help his father, remaining thus engaged until twen- 
ty-two years of age. He then marrieil and went to Michigan, where he 
learned the carpenter's trade, and in a few years engaged in manufac- 
turing sash and doors and interior finishings, ami also was in the lumber 
business, later becoming manager of a furniture factory employing 
some 300 men. 

January 1, 1904, Mr. Crooksliank arri\-ed in California, and first 
located in Ocean Park, where he engaged in real estate, building and 
selling. After two years there he moved to Los Angeles, and remained 
there one year. In 1907 he located in Pomona. One year previous to 
that he had traded his Ocean Park property for the Ambrosia grove 
of forty acres in Pomona. 

Since 1894 Mr. Crookshank has been associated in business with 
F. L. Somers, and almost all of his enterprises since that date have 
been in partnership with this old-time friend and business associate. 
They bought the M. L. Sparks tract of 150 acres at La \'erne, fifty 
acres of it fruit, and sold all but eight acres of this property, one of the 
choicest bits of acreage in Southern California. Later he formed a 
private company and purchased the Seth Richards orange grove of 450 
acres, and impro\ed 1 50 acres of this, known as the Mesa tract. Later 
the company went out of existence and with Mr. Somers he bought the 
remainder of the tract and they still own this acreage. He has bought 
and sold numerous ranches, putting them in gootl condition and selling 
at an increased price. He was the first man to sell orange land at 
$2000 per acre; this same land is now held at a refusal of $5000. 

Probably one of the largest contracting firms in Southern Califor- 
nia, the two partners ha\e built many large buildings, both in Pomona 
Valley and elsewhere; they erected some of the buildings of the Sol- 
diers' Home at Sawtelle; many of the Pomona College buildings, and 
are now engaged in buildmg the Women's Building for that insti- 
tution; and ha\-e built many large buildings in Los Angeles and \icinity. 

On February 1 1, 1873, occurred the marriage of Da\id C. Crook- 
shank and Mary A. Linger, the ceremony taking place in Butler County, 
Pa., and two children bless their union: Mrs. Clara J. Steele of La 
Verne, and Mrs. Mary }:^thel Llder of North Pomona. One grand- 
child. Carries, brings sunshine to their li\es. Mr. Crookshank is a 
RepLiblican in politics, and in religious belief he is a Presbyterian. 
Fraternally he belongs to the Masons. 

Prominent in most of the associations which ha\e helpeel in the 
building up of the Valley, lAL". Crookshank is a charter member of the 
La \'erne Orange and Lemon Growers Association, anci has been presi- 
dent of the company since it was formed; maintaining one of the finest 
packing plants in the state, this organization in its beginning shipped 
250 cars of citrus fruits, anci now sends 1500 carloads over the roads 
to their different destinations. He has been a member of the San An- 
tonio Fruit Exchange, anil a director in the Southern California h'rult 



IIISTORN' WD |;|( n.i_ . .. , ;,x5 

(jrowcrs Exchange, also a director in the Orange Products Company. 
As a director in the Fumigating and Supply Conipanv ot J\)mona, the 
Lemon By-Products of Corona, and the Fruit (irowers Supply Coni- 
pany of Los Angeles, Mr. Crookshank takes an important part in the 
fruit industries in this section of the state, and has, since his first locat- 
ing in Pomona, been a factor for progress and an incentive towani the 
amalgamation of the citrus growers' interests for mutual benefit, (.iftcd 
with the faculty for seeing into the future as regards the growth and 
expansion of a district, he has given of his time and inHuence with that 
end in view and has done as much as anv one man for the advancement 
of 1 omona \ alley along these lines, the backbone of its prosperitv 
Air. Crookshank was one of the organizers of the Chamber of Com- 
merce, IS a charter member, served as president one year, and has been 
a director since the start of the organization. 

In the midst of his business cares Mr. Crookshank has found time 
to devote- to the social and educational upbuilding of the community 
and has been active in V. M. C. A. work, in donating and collecting 
Un the new building m Pomona, and in various other ways has shown 
his public spirit and broad humanitarian ideals. 



FI.MJ-R W. HART, I,.|...M. 

A gentleman of broad education and special scientific accomplish- 
nicnt who has come to devote his attention and experience to the 
many and important problems of citrus growing, is F.lmer \V Hart 
L.L..M., who was born in Racine, Wis., on February 8. 1863. the son 
ot John S. and Susan (Hawkins) Hart, both natives of Meredith 
\ illage .\. H.. who migrated to Racine, \vhere John S. Hart was a 
successful woolen manufacturer. Knjoying the balmy climate of South- 
ern California, he was in his later years accustomed to spend each 
vvinter in Pasadena. During this time the wisdom of his judgment 
caused him to purchase an orange orchard, in the culture of which he 
took niuch pride. His demise occurred in Pasadena in February 
noi. his estimable wife having preceded him to the Great Beyond 
several years before, the mother of six children, four now living, of 
whom our subject is the fourth eldest. 

Elmer W. Hart was educated at Racine Academy, after which 
he entered the George Washington University, Washington, D C 
from which he was graduated with the class of 1889. when he received 
the degree of Master of Laws. Following that excellent preparation 
he practiced his profession in Chicago. He had made several trips 
to California to visit his aged parent and then in the fall of 1900 
on account of his father's serious illness, he came again to be with 
and cheer him. Having enjoyed the climate and country more and 
more each time, he concluded to locate here and after his father's 



3<S0 llISTi )RV AXl) i;i( )C-RA1'IIV 

demise, he took up his residence in San Dinias and began the growing 
of citrus fruits, in which he has been so successful, applying the same 
zeal that characterized him in his profession, resulting in his becoming 
one of the best-posted men in the care and cultivation, as well as the 
marketing of oranges and lemons. He came to own two orchards, 
which he sold in 1909. This left him free to fulfill a cherishetl tlesire 
of visiting luirope, so A\ith his wife, he spent two years traveling in 
the British Isles, as well as on the Continent. After his return, he 
again purchased an orange ranch antl since August, 1911, has resided 
on his present place on Cienega Avenue. He has thirty acres de\oted 
to citrus fruit antl ha\ing applied the latest and most approved meth- 
ods, he has obtained results commensurate. As a result ot his general 
experience in this field and in the locality. Judge Hart has come to 
have great faith in San Dimas and its promising future. His inllu- 
ence for progress is recognized, and at present he is the president of 
the San Dimas Orange Growers Association as well as the San Dinuis 
Fruit Exchange. I'o this latter position he was elected when the 
Exchange was organized in 1912, at the same time being elected by 
the Exchange as representative to the California Fruit Growers Ex- 
change with headquarters in Los Angeles, and was by them in turn 
elected a member of its board of directors. In the deliberations of 
this bodv be is acti\e, deeply conscientious, working for the growers' 
interest and doing all he possiblv can to build up the citrus industry of 
the state of his adoption. 

Judge Hart has been twice married. His first wife was Miss 
I'^sther (jrey of San Francisco and the daughter of John Grey, a mer- 
chant of that metropolis, to whom he was wedded in 1902, and who 
died on January 15, 1918; while for his second marriage he chose for 
his companion. Miss Stella Lucas of Kansas City, an accomplished and 
attractive woman. 

Mr. Hart was made a Mason in Home Lodge No. 508, F. & A. 
M., Chicago, from which he was demitted and he became a charter 
member of San Dimas Lodge, F. & A. M.; he is a member of Pomona 
Chapter, R. A. M., Chicago Consistory, thirty-second degree Scottish 
Rite Masons, and Al Malaikah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., Los 
Angeles. He is a past exalted ruler of Pomona Lodge of Elks and is 
a popular member of the Jonathan Club in Los Angeles. 

His veracity and integrity are uncjuestioned and his wonl once 
gi\en is as gooti as his bond. For six years. Judge Hart was special 
examiner in the LI. S. Pension office in Washington during the admin- 
istration of President Harrison. Being a firm believer in protection, 
he is an ardent Republican, and is justice of the peace of his district, 
having accepted the office for the good he may do and not for its 
emoluments. Judge Hart is an inveterate worker and is ncvcv idle, 
always stri\ing for the greatest good in the cooperation of the fruit 



iiis'j'okv AM) i!i( )OK.\riiv .^sr 

men. His energy, ambition, as well as years ol \aliialile experience 
make his ad\ice much sought after aiul this, eoupleel with an amiable 
ani.! pleasing personality, makes it little womler that he has been 
selected as a director in an association that has lione the greatest good 
and brought the most wealth to Calitornia ot any associati<in of its 
kind. lie is a truly good, kiiul and considerate man, being highly 
esteemeii aiul much honored, and his example is worthy ot emulation. 



IRA V. WHITE 

The preser\ ation of pioneer history in the state has become more 
ami more valuable as the years vanish into the distance, and the life 
stories of the men and women who have helped to make it are so 
woven into the warp and woof of the progress made here within the 
past lifty and more years that to get the real history ot Calitornia and 
her tlitierent localities wc must write of their early struggles and devel- 
opment work, carried up to the present hour. It is they who have 
made possible our present and future prosjieritv aiul we are anxious 
to give them full credit for their achievements. 

Ira I". White was born on a farm in Warren County, 111., Jan- 
uary 15, 18.^6, the son of William and Charity ((Jglesby) White. The 
father was a building contractor, and his ileath occurred when Ira was 
ten years of age, which made it necessary for the hul to go to work 
on a farm. In the meantime the family had removed to Iowa, and 
\\'illiam White died in Burlington, of that state. 

Remaining on the farm until reaching the age of seventeen. 
Ira K. then learned the trade of tinsmith, in Illinois, and went to 
Minnesota, and for fifteen years he remained there, going into business 
for himself in 1861, at Hastings. In 1865 he moved to Owatonna, 
that state, where he remained for four years. In the year 1869 he 
came to San Jose, and for four months he traveled over California, at 
the end of that time returning to .Minnesota, and earlv in 1870 he 
engaged in the hartlware business in Hampton, Iowa, continuing for 
eight years. 

The West proved too strong a lure, however, and 1878 found 
.Mr. White back in California. He first located on a ranch in the foot- 
hills near Sacramento and engaged in raising fruit, a pioneer in that 
industry, and for seven years he remained in that location, then for 
one year rcsideil in Solano Countv. 

In 1885 Mr. White came to I'omona. arul that same vear he 
bought out John Johnson, taking possession on January 1, 1886, under 
the name of Ira I". White and Son. He was a member of the first horti- 
cultural society formed in California, joining in Sacramento, and since 
coming to the \'allcy has also engaged in ranching, now having dis- 
posed of his interests in that line. In 1898 he sold out his business 
to J. W. Wilkinson and Son ami has since that time lived retiretl from 



388 1 1 1 ST( .) R ^' .\ X I ) r. I no R \ I ' 1 1 \' 

active cares. Ihe marriage of Mr. White, which occurred in 1868, 
united him with Miss Mary I.. Downing, a daughter of George 
Downing of Minnesota, anti two chiKii-en have been born to them. Dr. 
Mabel E., and Alice. 

Mr. White has always reali/eii the importance of preser\ing 
the early history of this wonderlul country, and has taken an especial 
interest in tliat ot California; he was one of the organizers of the 
Pioneer Society in Pomona, which has for its object the gathering 
together of such history before it is too late, and the society gave their 
iu"st picnic in 191'), a meetmg which is to be an annual affair. 



ETHAN H. EARLE 

A pioneer of Pomona, both in respect to his long years of resi- 
dence in this fa\'ored section and also in the introduction here of 
superior workmansiiip in painting, is luhan II. L.arle, who was born in 
Dubuque County, Iowa, on Lebruary .?, 1847, and was reared on a 
farm while lie attendeil the coimtry schools. When eighteen years old 
he mo\-ed with his parents to Clinton County, Mo., and there, as 
a young man, took up the trade he has followed e\er since, that of 
house painting. All in all he has been over half a century at his trade, 
a fact that adils to the interest of his early work in Eos Angeles 
County. 

In 1886, at the beginning of the great boom in California realty, 
Mr. Earle came from Missouri to California, and through excep- 
tional fortune was at once directed to Pomona, then a small town, but 
one that had the unmistakable marks of promise, of about one thou- 
sand p'eople. He has personally witnessed, therefore, all the impor- 
tant changes of the passing years, and is ne\er at a loss to relate an 
interesting anti sometimes an absorbmg experience. 

He started to contract on painting and interior decorating soon 
after his arri\al, and his first job was to paint Brown's Hotel, one of 
the old lanilmarks of the city, now called the Commercial House, on 
West Second Street. He also painted many of the homes of the early 
settlers in pioneer days, and among these were the Armour residence, 
the Janies Heckett place, and the E. W. I'ierce residence. He also 
painted and decorated tile First Methodist Church. He is the pio- 
neer in his line in Pomona \'a!ley, and although past seventy-two 
years of age, he is still xery acti\e in his work. Besides the display of 
his art and craftsmanship in Pomona Valley, Mr. Earle has worked on 
some of the finest residences in Eos Angeles, and has painted a number 
of houses for J. S. Stewart in Eong Beach. He ran a paint stoi-e at 
122 South Thomas Street for about four years. 

Not only have long years been granted this \igorous path bi-eaker, 
but he has been pri\ileged to rear a lai^ge tamiK'. In the year 1S72 and 




S^l%£^ ^ (f^i^L^^ 



IIISTORN' AM) IWOCKAl'in 3'*1 

at Cameron, Mo., lie married Miss IJlen Smart, a native ol Missouri, 
and by her he has had ten children. Lena hecame Mrs. John Schu- 
man and died, leaving eight children; Cora U. died in 1S9S; Charles 
\V.; Olie died in I89S; Nellie has become Mrs. Sidney White and has 
one child; Maude is Mrs. Kiley dillenwater, tiie motiier ot three 
children; Gertrude is Mrs. Harry Collins: l.ela; and Allreil. I he 
oldest of the family died in infancy. 

Mr. l''arlc matle a unicycle about thirty )ears ago and has run it 
all (ner the N'alley, and in Second Street when the muil was eight 
inches deep. I his was on display in the parade on ( )ctober .?<), 1919, 
in the March of Progress. 



WAI.ri K .MOOKl-: AVIS 

A rancher who, identifying himself with town lite, has come to 
till important offices ot public trust, and has done much to improve 
this part of Los Angeles County, is Walter .Moore A\is, the extensive 
farmer who resides on I'^ast Ilolt Avenue. He was born at Lincoln 
Mills. N. J., on March 24. 1863, the son of Paul Avis, who was a 
farmer and had a Hour mill. He took an active part in politics, and 
was full of patriotic zeal during the Civil War, but he was too old to 
ser\'e in the army. A son, Harry .M.. howeser, served for four years 
during the war. Later the father was Lnited States Laiul Com- 
missioner. He was t)f .Moravian stock, and his ancestors donated larui 
for the first Moravian church built in New Jersey, still standing at 
Swedesboro, the oldest church in that vicinity. Paul Axis married 
Sarah Benezette, a worth\' representative of a French I higuenot famih' 
that came to America with William Pcnn. The elder Avis died on 
March 18. 1896. while .Mrs. Avis passed away on June }, 1891. She 
was the nu)thcr ot tweKe chiklren, anil ele\-en lived to maturity. 

The ninth child, Walter was educated in the public schools and at 
Bacon Academy; and when he reached the age of nineteen, he engageii 
in the milling business with his father. In that field he continued until 
he was twenty-fi\e, and as it was customary in those days to lio things 
thoroughly, and his father was the best of counselors, he profiteil 
greatly by the experience. In the spring of 1888, during the height 
of the excitement over land values and their appreciation, due to the 
suilden "bof)m" in California. Mr. A\is came to the Golilen State, and 
for a year he located at San Diego. Attractive as the extreme South- 
land pro\ed to be, he saw in Pomona a still more promising lielil: and 
the following February he came here. For three years he busied him- 
self with truck gardening, and then he went into the wholesale produce 
ami fruit trade. He bought in large (]uantities and rather ilaringly. 
and he became the largest dealer in this locality. 

On December 21. 1903. Mr. Avis was appointed postmaster of 
Pomona by President Roosevelt and reappointed in 19()7. and in that 



392 HISTOID' AXI) I'.IOC.RAIMIN' 

rcsponsilile ofHce hf ser\ecl for ten \ears and ten days, directmsj; the 
postal affairs of the district in the most economical and yet the most 
progressive spirit, effecting lioth reforms and economy. I'omona has 
been fortunate in her postmasters, but nc\er more so than when 
Walter Moore Avis was appointed to that department of public trust. 

While postmaster, Mr. A\-is mox'ed the postoflice from its 
Second Street location to its present place on Thomas Street, in 1909, 
and superintended the building of it; thus by mo\ing the postoffice 
to the side street it opened up a new business tlistrict, making a great 
impro\-ement, since formerly all business hail been concentrated on 
Second Street, thus rounding out the city. Retiring with the esteem 
and good-will of everyone, Mr. Avis ami his wife set out from Pomona 
in January, 1914, and made a tour of the world, returning in the fol- 
lowing October. Perhaps as the result of this broadening travel Mr. 
Avis saw the necessity for a modern hotel and when requested to do 
so by his fellow citizens, started the desired impro\-ement and built 
the A\is Hotel. The work was commenced on July 1, 1914, and by 
January 1, 1915, it had been completed, furnished and occupied at a 
cost of $100,000 — a fine fireproof structure of five stories, including 
sixty rooms. He has built more business houses than any other indi- 
\idual and has been the largest taxpayer in the city; among the build- 
ings are the Belvedere Theater, Avis Block, Postoffice Block, Avis 
Hotel, and he plans to build one more structure on a lot adjoining the 
Avis Hotel. He has owned and impro\ ed other \aluable property. 
He was one of the original stockholders of the Mutual Building and 
Loan Association of Pomona and has been on the board of directors 
for twenty-five years. He has also been a director of the American 
National Bank for many years. 

The day before Christmas, 1901, at Mullica Hill, N. J., Mr. Avis 
and Miss Abigail Sherwin, an accomplished lady of English descent, 
were married; and since then the Avis resicience has been a center of 
most acceptable hospitality. Although a member of the Society of 
Friends, Mr. Avis was active in war work and so did his bit toward 
the great triumph for uni\ersal peace through which the world hopes 
for much. Mr. Avis has been \'ery prominent in ( )dd Fellowship; 
on March 29, 1893, when Odd F'ellows Hall was dedicated, he affil- 
iated with Pomona Lodge No. 246, L O. O. F. He is also a mem- 
ber of San Antonio Encampment No. 88, Canton Pomona No. .3, and 
LTeliotrope Rebekah Lodge No. 18.^. Fie has devoted much time to 
the order, has filled all the chairs and had all the honors that could be 
conferred by the order, including Grand Patriarch of the Grand I'.n- 
campment ot California. He instituted the Canton in Pomona as 
well as many subordinate lodges in the \'alley. Fie also holds mem- 



IIISTOkV AND r.li CK M'll\ 

lid-ship In I'diiioiia Lodge No. 7S9, 15. 1'. O. I'.lks, :r ' ' 'ic Wd.i.l- 
iiicn (it the W'orltl. 

Ml. Axis is tOiui III' hunting aiul lishing, licing a gooil shot, aiui 
when scrxing as a coniniissioncr. cliarge.l with tlic prcscr\atio!i <it 
State game ami lish, he put new game into the ccjuntry and stocked the 
creeks with tish, all at his own expense. lie has a home in the moun- 
tains, and so happily comhines town antl rural life. He organized 
the I'omona l-vecreation Club, built the new club house on the Santa 
Ana ]\i\er. and has been secretary of the club. ,\ll in all .Mr. .\\ Is 
is a very interesting and modern type of citi/en. 



\\iLiJA.\i w. bo\vli:r 

Spending the declining years ot a profitable life amidst the orange 
groves of the Pomona \'alley, William Wilson Bowler, octogenarian 
orange rancher, has lived to see many changes in the United States 
since he was born in Decatur County, Ind., July 29th, 1835. In those 
days Indiana and Illinois were frontier states, and when he was a year 
old occurred the death of ex-President James Madison and that of 
Aaron Burr — events that seem to belong to the remote past in the 
history of our comparatively young nation. 

Mr. Bowler was reared on the farm and remained at home until he 
attained his majority, during which time attended the country school, 
and had three terms at Asbury University, now DePauw Universitv, of 
Greencastle, Ind. He then began teaching school when eighteen and 
followed the profession for about twenty years, teaching winters and 
farming summers. He remo\ed to Clay County, III., where for 
thirty-eight years he farmed with success. He was a member of the 
I-"armers' Mutual Benefit Association, a school director and a town- 
ship trustee, alternating between the two for nearly thirty years. He 
was also township assessor and highway commissioner of Harter 
Township, Clay County, and an active worker in Illinois in the cause 
of temperance. He was a member of the Sons of Temperance and 
the Good Templars. 

In 1894 he came to Pomona, Cal., and purchased his present 
place at 1214 East Fifth Street. The place was set to oranges, prunes 
and peaches. Later he took out the prune and peach trees and plantetl 
oranges. He also owns six and one-half acres of alfalfa land in the 
Chino District. 

He has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Theresa Dve 
before her marriage, a native of f)hio, by whom he hail three sons, 
James H., now living in Phoenix, Ariz. : Robert L. of I.scondido, Cal.. 
and Charles I*", resides in Pomona, but is a rancher in Chino District. 
After the death of his first wife he married .Marv .Mice Downing, a 
native of Indiana, by whom he hail six children, Paul D., who li\es 
in Memphis, Tenn.; Mary T., living at home: .Mrs. Julia K. Wilson 



394 IIIST( )\i\ AM) UK )C,R.\I'I I \' 

of Tulare County, Ciil.; William E. of Phoenix, Ariz.; Albert G., who 
lives in Texas, and Eva A., who died in 1909. His present wife's 
parents were pioneers of Kentucky and descendants of Daniel Boone. 
Mr. Bowler has twenty-ri\e grandchildren, three of whom are mar- 
ried, and three great-grandchildren. He is a member of the L'nitarian 
Church of I'omona. He ser\ed on the board of directors of the Irri- 
gation Company of Pomona. In the twenty-five years that he has been 
a resident of Pomona \'alley his worth has been tested and he is de- 
ser\edly respected and beloved bv his many friends. 



THOMAS A. WILELWIS 

Perhaps no man has done more toward the actual building up of 
Pomona than has Ihomas A. Williams, contractor and designer of 
high-class residences. His work is in a distinct class by itself and 
the many beaLitiful homes he has bmlt in the Valley stand as a tribute 
to his artistic ability, and competent business methods. He has built 
approximately ."^00 homes in Pomona and \icinity, his record at one 
time being the contracting for one home a week for a year. He was 
born in Mt. Vernon, Texas, September 2, 1875, a son of John T. 
and i\Iary (Stevenson) Williams, the former a native of Tennessee 
and the latter of Texas. John T. Williams was a builder ami contrac- 
tor all his life and his iield of operations ranged from Texas to Omaha 
and to California, where he located in 1886. He erecteci many build- 
ings and homes in Eong Beach during the big boom there, and came 
to Pomona Valley in 1891 as foreman in the building of the sugar 
factory at Chino. He bought a ranch east of Pomona, and soon after 
returned to building opei-ations. 

Thomas A. \\Mliams was reared in Pomona and educated in 
Eos Angeles, and for a time worked on ranches, and was foreman of 
the I. W. Eord ranch at Cucamonga. Eike his father, however, he 
was a natural builder and learned that trade in all its branches, from 
the blueprints up, under his father. A natural architect and designer, 
he has met with remarkable success and has drawn the plans ami 
designed some of the most artistic homes In the \'alley. In 1906 
he started his contracting business and there is hardly a street in 
Pomona that he has not erected a fine home on. He built all the 
artistic residences in the Kenoak tract, the finest residence section of 
Pomona; among them are the Vved H. Baringer residence; Paul 
Higgs home; John E Yeend; and Mr. Williams' own beautiful resi- 
dence, one of the finest in the city. Besides his local work, Mr. Wil- 
liams has built sixteen fine resiliences in Rctllantls, nine in Ea \'erne, 
and many in L^plands, San Dimas, Claremont, Anaheim, Ki\era and 
Eankershim. He has erected twenty-four houses for himself in Po- 
mona, three of which are in the Kenoak tract. One outstanding fea- 





'QyZ<^t^a.L.^:^ ~^!^^^^&l^cu.<' ' 



llISTokV AND I'.li )(■.l^.\|■|l^' 3')7 

turc ot his work is the tact that he will not contract to ImiKi a cheap 
home alongside of a tine residence. Init is consistently a ilesit^ner ami 
builder of high-class homes, of distinct architecture, and in this respect 
has done much to make the residential section ot I'omona one of the 
most beautiful in Southern Calilornia, the place renownetl for Its 
womlerful streets tull ot homes which compare with anv in the world. 

Ihe marriage ol Mr. ^^'ilIiams united him with Anna .\lav I'al- 
lett, who was horn in Rivera. Cal., a liaughter ot a pioneer of the 
state, James R. Pallett: he crossed the plains with o\ teams in early 
days atul locateil In Risera, Los Angeles County, where he was a large 
landowner ami walnut grower; he also owned a part of the land on 
which Long Beach now stands, and at one time rancheil at Cuca- 
monga. His wife. Mary \\'hitlield before her marriage, was one of 
a family who were among the tirst settlers at Spaiira. Mrs. Williams 
died, in Pomona, June 7, 1918, leaving three daughters: Helen, Lota; 
and N'iolet, all natives of Pomona. 

In fraternal organizations .Mr. Williams is a member of Po- 
mona Camp No. 7425, M. W. A., and of Pomona Lodge No. 789, 
B. P. (). I'.lks. He is a member of the Pomona Security Company antl 
is developing the (ianesha Park tract for the company. In the miiist 
of his many business interests he has found time to take part in the 
social and fraternal life of the \'alley, and in civic aHalrs has proven 
a man of worth to the community, interested in e\ erything that makes 
for local reform, improvement and expansion. 



JOSEPH L. COLVIN 

To have lived a life of real experiences, full of good works for 
humanity in general and contentment in his lot on earth, Joseph L. 
Colvin has been an example of such endeavors in the communities in 
which he lived and his passing has left a vacancy in the ranks of 
Pomona's public-spirited men. He was a Kentuckian by birth, born in 
Covington, April 30, 1844, a son of John and Amelia L. (Newport) 
Colvin, of Quaker parentage on both sides, the father a lawyer in the 
Southern State, and a farmer in Illinois, whither he had moved about 
1850. Joseph L. received his education in the public schools in Mt. 
Palatine. 111., and graduated from the law department of Wesleyan 
University of Bloomington, III., in 1876. 

Moving to Iroquois County, he farmed there for fifteen years, 
and also practiced law in the meantime. Always active in public af- 
fairs, he was a strong advocate of the temperance movement and was 
equally opposed to tobacco in any form. His marriage, which oc- 
curred in LaSalle County. December 27, 1882. united him with Miss 
Ada Bassett, a daughter of Bar/ilia Bassett, and they farmeil in Iro- 
quois County ten years, ami in 189.^ came to Pomona \'allev ami here 



3>)S lllS'ir)R\' \\l) I'.loC.K Al'IlV 

Mr. CoKiii iincstcd in ranch properties and hccnnie well known 
tliroujrhoiit the \'allc\ tor liis interest in public attairs as an advocate 
for ad\ancing the educatit)nal and moral life of the community, as well 
as its ci\ic and financial progress. A Democrat in politics, he voted, 
h()we\er, for the man best suited for ofHce, regartiless of party aflilia- 
tions, and he ser\etl on the jury in many cases, his law training causing 
him to fretjuentlv be chosen foreman of that body, and it was while 
serving in that capacity that he contracted a cold and dieil from the 
results. 

During his many years of residence here Mr. Cohin passed 
through all the experiences of the early settlers, discouragements were 
numerous, but he stuck to his task and was successful in the and; a very 
companionable man and fond of young folks, he was popular in the 
community, and his death, occurring on Easter Sunday in 1912, was 
sincerelv mourned b\- all who IukI come in contact with his tine 
character. 

Since his ileath Mrs. CoK in has continued in her place in the com- 
munity life, where she is actixe in social affairs, and is also successfully 
carrying on the ranching acti\ities, which comprise twenty acres in 
walnuts and ten acres in alfalfa, and is a member of the Walnut Grow- 
ers Association. 



EDWY iM. DAY 

A pioneer citi/en of Pomona \ alley, who, during his more than 
a quarter century residence here, has contributcil his share in the de- 
\elopment of this section of the Golden State, is Kdwy M. Day. He 
is a nati\e of the l^mpire State, ha\ing first seen the light of day on 
Januarv 28, 1851, in St. Lawrence County, N. Y. 

At the age of thirteen he mo\ed to Henry County. 111., where he 
iixed on a farm until 1868, when he migrated farther west, locating 
in Nemaha County, Nebr., where he followed farming and stock rais- 
ing. Ha\ing a desire to see more of the great West, especially the 
(iolden State, Mr. Day came to Pomona, Cal., in 1891, where he pur- 
ehaseil seventeen acres of laiui west of Chino; later he bought forty 
acres more. He impro\-ed and de\eloped his Chino ranch and installed 
a pumj)ing plant tor irrigating his land, upon which he raised alfalfa 
ami IrLiit. .\fter lixiiig on his ranch tor twent\-one \ears he moved to 
Claremont, whei'e he remained ti\e years, when he locatetl in Pomona, 
where he has since resided. 

In Nemaha County, Nebr., E. M. Day was uniteil in marriage 
with I'di/.a Wagner, a natl\e of New York state, who is now deceased. 
This union was blessetl with three children : Albert C, of Chino; Mrs. 
Blanche A. Neibel, ot Pomona, and Claude M., who resides at Ocean 
I'ark. 



iiis'i"( n<\ Axi) i;i( h;r. \i'i(^' 401 

The seconil marriajrc of Mr. Day united him with I lattie l^ilmer. 
a native ot Nehraska. the ceremony heing solemni/ed in Los Anj^reles. 
Mr. Day is a memher of the First Christian Church at Pomona. 1)ur- 
injr his h)nfr resilience in the Pomona N'alley he has always been inter- 
ested in those movements that had as their aim the uphuildinjr of the 
best interests of the communitv. 



JASPl K \. TKAGUE 

-\lthough he has passeil his sixty-third milestone, (asper .Newtoi 
Jeague, a Pomona \'aliey pioneer of the seventies, is still in the vigor 
of life. He was born in Davis County, Iowa. August 20. 1856. and 
is the son of Crawford Pinckney and Amanda (.May) league. The 
father was born in Washington County, Ind.. November 6, 1823, 
and was a son of John and Mary (Thomas) Teague. natives of 
Xorth Carolina, of Scotch descent. Greatgrandfather Alexander 
Thomas ser\ed in the Revolutionary War under General Washington. 
C. P. Teague was married October 8. 1846, to Amanda R. May, who 
died in California in 1881. 

In 1865 C. P. Teague. with his wife and eight children, crossed 
the plains by teams and wagons, arriving in the Sacramento \'aliev 
after a weary trip of six months, enduring many hardships and dan- 
gers. When he ferried across the Sacramento at Reading and paid 
the ferry charge he had thirty-five cents left — all the capital he had 
to start with in a new country. Three weeks later he moved to a 
farm on Deer Creek, six miles south of Tehama, where he farmed 
for two years; then he removed with his family to Sonoma County, 
near Santa Rosa, and engaged in farming on .Mark West Creek until 
1878. In 1878 he became interested in farming on the San fose 
Rancho in Los Angeles County and moved here in 1881. His death 
occurred at San Dimas in 1910. Mr. and Mrs. C. P. Teague were 
the parents of eight children: David C. of San Dimas: Drusllla is 
Mrs. Theodore Staley of Orange County; Lodema A. is .Mrs. Willis 
Gauldcn of Santa Rosa; Harvey T. died at the age of forty-li\e; Jas- 
per X., the subject of this re\iew; Olive A., .Mrs. S. L .Allen of 
Sebastopol; Robert M. of San Dimas: Flora F.. .Mrs. Harry New- 
man of San Francisco. 

Jasper Newton as a lad attended the log schoolhouse in Da\ is 
County, Iowa, and when nine years of age crosseil the plains with his 
parents, riding horseback most of the way. He attended school in 
Sonoma County, topping off his eilucation at Christian College in 
Santa Rosa. In 1878 he came to Southern California as his father's 
representative in A/usa, working with the engineer corps in the sur- 
vey of Mouml City for the old .Mound City Land and Water Com- 
pany, subdividing 4,000 acres of the Dalton ranch. 1 le returned to 



40J IIIS'I'ORN' AM) IMoCRAI'IIV 

Sonoma County for teams ami implements and he was then accom- 
panied by his brother, David C, antl they locateti at what is now San 
Dimas, then Mud Springs, aiul liere thev started m u;i'am taiMninu;. 

There was an old adotie chimney left stani,ling on tile creek anil 
Mr. Teague and his brother built a California house up against it 
and li\ed there for two years. Ihev bought two hogs and cured the 
meat but had no place to smoke it, so placed a box containing the 
meat over the chimney of an old bake o\'en left on the place, and this 
Impro\'ised affair was the first smoke house in San Dimas. They ran 
a ditch from the cienega to the house, whicli ga\e them an ample 
supply of good water. They hauled limiber (5\-er the sandy roads 
from Los Angeles to build the house and continued raising grain until 
the California Southern Railroad was built in the fall of 1886. In 
that year the brothers dissohed partnership and di\idetl their hold- 
ings. Jasper N. took the Pomona land and set out an orange gro\'e on 
Mountain Avenue; he obtamed water from the okl Loop & iMeser\e 
ditch brought from the San Antonio Canyon. He also followed gen- 
eral contracting, le\eling antl exca\-ating, doing much of the early 
le\eling and e\ca\atmg for orange groves in the localit\'. Diu'ing the 
grain season he engaged in threshing until 10(12, when he sold his 
holdings and moved to Los Angeles, and there he no^' makes his 
home in his beautiful residence at 1649 St. Andrews Place. During 
these years he has been making a specialty of raising cauliflower, 
ha\ing 320 acres tlcNoted to the growing of this N^egetable, his being 
the lai-gest cauliflower ranch in the world, and for the past ten years 
he has been known as the Cauliflower King. Shipping to all the large 
liastern cities, but principally to New York, always in precooled cars, 
he has his own packing house. On his ranch he raises two crops a 
year, first raising potatoes or corn anil then cauliflower, employing 
twenty or more hands in the growing, picking anil packing. Mr. 
Teague also owns an orange and walnut ranch of \M) acres in the San 
Fernando \\dley near Mission Acres, under water from the Los Ange- 
les aqueduct. Here he has splendid orchai-ds of \'alencia and Xa\el 
oranges and both luireka and Placentia Perfection walnuts. On his 
ranch he employs the latest machinery and makes use of two tractoi^s, 
as well as twenty head of horses. Aside from hoi-ticulture, Mi-. 
I cague also raises beans, lettuce and melons. 

On November 3, 1883, at Los Angeles, Mr. Teague was united 
in mai'riage with JNIiss Anna C. Burdick, who was horn at First and 
Broadway, Los Angeles, the daughter of Cyrus and Amanda Burdick, 
who were pioneers of Los Angeles when the present court house site 
was a cow pasture. Cyrus Buriiick i-i-mo\cd to Pomona about 1870, 
where he built his home and resided with his family. He built the 
first schoolhouse there; before this his children had gone to school on 
the Phillips ranch near Spadi^a. Mi". Bm-dick also liad the tirst spring 



IllS'l'OKV AXl) I'.K )(■,R.\^II^■ -KVi 

wagon in town. Mr. and Mrs. rcaguc are the parents of se\en chil- 
dren: Lena K., Mrs. Burrows, resides in Los Angeles; I'earl 1',. is 
Mrs. Cicorge Ket/er of Hollywood; Ross is on his father's ranch in 
the San Lernando \'alley; Harry C. is with Conipanv B of the Ihree 
HiindrctI Sixty-fourth Calilornia Regiment of the Ninetv-lirst Di- 
vision who went to Irance and haii the horu)r of seeing mucii light- 
ing and going over the top three times, being commissioneil a lirst 
sergeant; George J. was also in 1 "ranee In the photographic depart- 
ment and is now a photographer at White Salmon, Wash.; Clauile A. 
is a cauliflower farmer, residing on a torty-acre ranch near Los An- 
geles; Bernice is attending Los Angeles high school. 

Mr. Teague has made an unqualitieil success of raising vege- 
tables, accomplishing it by close application and personal supervision 
of all his holdings. The wonderful results he has obtained, working 
on a large scale as he does, have proven the falsity ol the idea that 
Americans cannot compete with Japanese in growing and marketing 
vegetables. He also raises a large acreage of spinach, and for har- 
vesting this crop he has invented a machine like a bean cutter that 
cuts four rows at once. Fhus a car can be cut, packed and loaded in a 
day. .Always a very busv man, with his extensive interests to super- 
vise, Mr. Teague has always kept abreast ot the times, being a leader 
in all progressive movements; he is well read and well informed and 
is a very interesting conversationalist. He has made a success of life 
financially and has gained a high place in the esteem and conlidence 
of his fellow citizens. Politically he is an ardent protectionist anil 
hence a strong Republican. 



MOSi:s pirr^' 

One of the earliest pioneers of the \ allev, who came here when 
Pomona was but a small settlement and has taken an active part in 
both the upbuilding of the city ami in making it an ideal home environ- 
ment, Moses Petty can rightfully be called a representative man of 
this district. He is a native of Illinois, born in Petty Township, Law- 
rence County, April 8, 18.^9, a farmer and carpenter by occupation. 
On April 20, 1861, he enlisteil for service in the Civil War, in Com- 
pany L Lighth Illinois Infantry, under (jeneral Prentiss ami Colonel 
"Dick" Oglesby, and served in the Sixteenth Western Division. After 
three months' service he was discharged for disability and returned to 
Illinois to engage in farming in his native county. 

In 1887 Mr. Petty came to Pomona and built his present home, 
1 124 West Second Street, where he has since resided; at that time his 
and two other houses were the only houses west of White Avenue. lor 
seven years he was street and park superintendent and graded many of 
the streets in Pomona, about forty miles yearly. He assisted in laying 
out Ganesha Park, and was also active in the development of the 



404 llls'^()k^' axd iuocrai'Iiy 

Service I'ann, planting forty acres to walnuts. In addition to this 
jnihlic development work, Mr. Petty boufrht thirty-live acres ol land 
on i'dwne A\'enue aiul i\cser\()ir Street, and this he planted to alfalfa 
and cut 350 tons of hay yearly; this land he sold after fourteen years 
of operations there. lie was later inspector of nine and one-half 
miles of roail work buih in Pomona, and amonu; othei- public duties 
served two years on the city council. He is now a half owner of the 
Cooperati\e Business Block on West Seconcl Street, and has other real 
estate interests; he also is superintentlent of the Ser\-ice l'"arm. 

Always an acti\e temperance woi^ker, both in Pomona and in the 
state as well, Mr. Petty helped materially to drive the liquor traffic 
out of Pomona, which elimination \\-as a most important factor in the 
rapid growth and prosperit)- of this section anil making it an ideal 
educational center. 

The marriage of Mr. Petty, occurring in May, 1862, united him 
with Jane Wagner, a native of Ohio, but raisctl in Illinois, and H\e 
children, three of whom are dead, blessed their union. The two li\ing 
are: H. H. Petty, manager of the Cucamonga Packing Company, and 
Mrs. Elizabeth Freymonth. Mrs. Petty is a member of the Presby- 
terian Church. Mr. Petty is a member of Vicksburg Post No. 61, De- 
partment of California and Nevada. 



WILLIAM HENRY ARNOLD 

The biographical history of California is made up of the life 
stories of men which reatl like romances of a different world from that 
of the culti\ated and populated state of toilay. Many of our worthy 
pioneers suffered hardships and prixations unknown to this genera- 
tion, in order that their descendants might reap the reward of their 
forebears' bra\ery and endurance. Such a pioneer was William Henry 
Arnold, a nati\-e of Shelby County, Ala., where he was born T'ebruary 
1, 1826. He followed farming in his nati\e state imtil the gold days 
of the early hlties, when stories of fortunes awaiting the ad\-enturous, 
ill far-away California, reached the Southern plantations, and he 
joined the trail of Argonauts to the coast, antl «ith his wife, who was 
before her marriage Adeline Pritlgeon, a nati\e of (ieorgia, he crossed 
the plains in an ox-team train, a long and hazardous journey in those 
days. They arrived safely in Sacramento, and Mr. Arnold engaged 
in freighting to the mines as a iirst occupation, while getting his bear- 
ings in the new country. He later sold his teams and mined for gold 
in I'd Dorado County, and finally bought a tract of timber land in 
Shady Creek, Nevada Comity, and there ran a sawmill. 

After these various pioneer enterprises, Mr. Arnold came south 
to Los Angeles, in 1868, and from that city drove down the Valley 
where Pomona now stands, and farmed for thirty years at Spadra, 




Z5^.>^ 1/ :J^^^--*le^ 



niST( m\ .\\i) i;i( )c,K.\i'in 407 

culti\atmjr a t\vcnty-sc\ cii-acrc ranch, which Is now ouncil by his 
daughter, Mrs. Ida F. Collins of Pomona. 

No praise is too great for these sturdy pioneers, who gave of 
their best years to the upbuilding and development of our wonderful 
state. I hey lived to see Pomona grow into the beautiful city it now 
is, surrounded by a \'alley of prodigal fruitfulness and beauty; their 
efforts were rewarded and their lives are an example for future genera- 
tions. Mr. Arnold passed to his greater reward December 23, 1918, 
aged ninety-three years, and his wife to hers in 1908, leaving two 
children, Mrs. Ida I'. Collins of Pomona antl Krank Arnold of 
\'ictor\ ille, Cal. 



iDwiN 1. ki-:isi:r 

A resident of Pomona N'alley for the past twenty years, lulwin 
T. Keiser has watched the march of progress through this wonderful 
region and has kept up with the trend of events in every way possible 
to a man of business acumen and initiative. Born in Woodford 
County, III., June 29, 1875, Mr. Reiser is the son of William T. 
and filizabeth (Stoner) Keiser, the father, a farmer in the Kastern 
state, fought in the Civil War with the Confederate Army, and a 
brother of his was with Stonewall Jackson in \'irginia. 

Three children were born to William T. and Elizabeth Keiser: 
I-.dwin T.. the first in order of birth, was etiucated at .Mt. .Morris 
College, at .Mt. .Morris. 111., graduating from that institution in 1898. 
On the third of July, that same year, he came to California, locating 
at La \'erne, and with his brothers started in to develop thirty acres 
of orange land. Later the whole family came West and the father 
purchased 160 acres, then gave each of his boys ten acres to develop. 
Having learned the orange culture by finding employment with .Mr. 
Palmer on his first arrival here, Edwin T. sold his interest in his 
brother's ranch, and then taught three years at La \'erne College 
while developing his individual orchard, and was a member of the 
board of trustees of the college during that time. 

Later. Mr. Keiser came to Pomona and engaged in the fruit 
business, representing the Citrus L'nion and the Fay Fruit Company. 
He also reinvested in orange property, and four years ago took the 
position of field agent for the California Fruit (jrowers lixchange, 
which position he has creditably filled since that time. A man of adap- 
tability and studious by nature, .Mr. Keiser at one time took up the 
study of law under the late Judge (iarrett for three years, never, how- 
ever, taking his examination for the bar. He is activelv interested in 
the upbuilding of Pomona, both educationally and along civic lines, 
and has been prominent in Republican politics; he was chairman of 
the Johnson and Kshclman Club and of the Pomona \allev Republican 



408 1IIST( )\iy AM) liloCRAi'ih- 

Club, and since 1911 he has been a member of tlie Republican State 
Central Committee. He was elected president of the I'omona City 
Board of Education in 1919 on a re\isionary platform and has ^i\en 
his personal attention to aeKancing the best interests of the schools. 
He belongs to the Pomona Chamber of Commerce, and was one of 
the "P'our Minute Men" during the World War, and chairman of 
the district. 

The marriage of Mr. Reiser, on July 8, 1897, united him with 
Miss Evelyn 7'eague, a nati\e of Ohio. Theirs was a college rt)mance, 
for they met while both attending Mt. Morris (111.) College. Three 
children have blessed the marriage: Helen, Edwin Terence, and (iaius 
Leland. The family attend the Brethren Church. In 1911 Mr. and 
Mrs. Reiser toured Europe on pleasure bent, but devoted some time 
to educational purposes. Actively interested in the development of the 
Valley since his first selection of it for a home, Mr. Reiser has done 
all in his power to ad\ance the best interests of Pomona antl siu'round- 
ing territory. He has seen it grow from a small beginning to a point 
of de\'elopment really remarkable in so short a time, and fully ex- 
pects an e(]ually rapid ad\ance in the next decade. The en\ironment 
justifies such expectations, and also the manner of men who make up 
the bulk of the citizenship in this section of our wonderful state. 



CASSIUS C. JOHNSON 

Few more consistent, practical or well-balanced careers have 
contributed to the development of Pomona and Claremont than that 
of the late C. C. Johnson, whose death, September 3, 1906, was 
mourned by the citizens of both towns as that of a personal friend. 
His remains were interred in the cemetery at Pomona, in \^■hich town 
so many years of his acti\e and useful life had been passed. 

Indiana was Mr. Johnson's nati\-e state, and he was born in 
Greencastle, April 1, 1854, one of the younger children in a family 
of ten born to his parents, Dixon and Nancy (Sewell) Johnson, both 
of the latter being nati\es of Rentucky. Among the early settlers in 
Indiana who had crossed o\er the Ohio Ri\-er from Rentucky was 
Dixon Johnson, who settled down as a farmer in that new country, but 
he was evidently not satisfied with the country for a permanent location 
and some time after the birth of his son, Cassius C, he remo\ed to 
\'inton, Iowa, near which city he purchased a large farm. It was there 
that his earth life came to a close, lea\ing to mourn his loss a widow 
and a large family of children. The mother passed away some years 
later in Willow Lake, S. D. As he was a mere child when the family 
remo\ed from Iniliana to Iowa, C. C. Johnson was reai-etl almost 
entirely in the latter state, attending first the public school of \'inton 
and later Vinton Academy. Although reared on a farm he had no 
taste for farming himself, and as soon as his school davs were over 



IIIS'I'( )RV AND I'.M )('.\< \riiv im 

he secured a position in a dry goods store in X'inton, with the idea 
of learning; the business. When one has definite ideas ot a hue ot 
business whicli he wishes to ft)llo\v ami with persistency applies hiniscll 
to its mastery, the \ictory is hall won, anii thus it was with Mr. [oim- 
son. for in a short time he was enabled to start in the dry ;ioods 
business on his own account. The failure of his health, howe\er, 
broujfht about a chanj^e in his plans and after disposinff ol his interests 
in Iowa he came to California in 1881. The following year he 
purchaseil a ranch of thirty acres on the corner of San Bernardino and 
Towne a\enues. Here he developed water, set out orchards, and 
later he subdivideil the ranch into one-acre and four-acre tracts, also 
openinjT I'owne A\enue. In the meantime he had been employed in 
the weif^hing department of the Southern Pacific Railroad for about 
one year. 

In 1895 .Mr. Johnson remo\ed to a fof)thill ranch east ot San 
Antonio, comprising several hundred acres. He gave this up, however, 
in the fall of 1900 and removed to Clarcmont, in order that his 
children could attend Pomona College. After locating here he engageii 
in the real estate business, and among other transactions with which 
his name was associated was the laying out ot a forty-acre tract on 
North Harvard Avenue, which he sold off as C. C. Johnson's Addition 
to Claremont, and he also laid out another forty-acre tract adjoining, 
known as College A\enue Addition. This business is still being carried 
on under the name of his son, J. D. Johnson. In 1902 he erected the 
line residence now occupieil by the family, located on North Harvard 
Avenue. Far from being self-centered and interested in his own 
private affairs only, Mr. Johnson was, on the other hand, broad-minded 
and generous. He was a director in the Citizens' Light and Water 
Company, was the organizer of the Cooperative Water Company, 
which was located on his ranch, also assisted in the organization of the 
Claremont Lumber Company, the Citizens' State Bank and the Clare- 
mont Inn Company, of which latter he was president. lor many 
years he had ser\ed efficiently as school trustee of Claremont and also 
served as selectman. 

In \'inton, Iowa, May 19, 1880, C. C. Johnson was marrieii to 
Miss Louise -Moore, who was born in Durand, 111., the daughter of 
I lulibard Moore. I'rom Vermont, his native state, Mr. .Moore set 
out with the '49ers for the gold region, but he did not remain long 
in the West at that time. Later he rcmo\ed to Bcloit, Wis., and 
afterwards to Durand. III., and established himself in the dry goods 
business, which he followed until removing to \'inton, Iowa, there 
following the builder's trade. Removing from the Middle West in 
1881, he came to California anil the same year purchaseil a ranch 
ailjoining Pomona, upon which he liveil the remainder of his life, and 
in aililition to its management he also carried on contracting to some 
extent. .Mrs. Johnson's mother, I'.mma L. Peck, a nati\e of .Massa- 



410 HISTORY AM) llloGRAPliV 

chiisetts, died in Diirand, 111., when Mrs. Johnson was only nine 
months old and afterwards Mr. Moore married her sister, who resided 
with Mrs. Johnson until her death. P'ive children blessed the marriage 
of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson: Albert, who is engaged with the Standard 
Oil Company at Santa Barbara; James D., in the real estate and 
insurance business in Claremont; Clarence was in the Ordnance De- 
partment of the L'nited States Army in the late war and is now 
ranching at Claremont; Emma, deceased, and Katherine. Politically 
Mr. Johnson was a strong Republican, anil in his church affiliations 
was an active member of the Congregational Church, of which at one 
time he was a trustee. Thoroughly devoted to the interests of this 
part of California, he was one of those citizens whose coming from 
the J'last meant so nuich to the (.le\-elopment and growth of the state. 



JOSEPH CHRISTMAS PIERSON 

Prominent among the names of the successful men of affairs of 
I'omona Valley is that of Joseph Christmas Pierson, the scion of a 
worthy American family of note in our country's history in early 
Colonial days, who fought xaliantly in the Colonial wars and served 
with distinction in the Rexolutionary War, also in the War of 1812 
and the Civil War of the sixties. 

Mr. Pierson was born at Newark, N. J., May 1, 1857. His 
father, Joseph Christmas Pierson, was born in New York, of English 
descent, the ancestors coming from England to Massachusetts. Rew 
Abraham Pierson was the first Presbyterian minister, in Newark, N. 
J., coming there in 1666. His son, also named Abraham, was the 
first president of Yale College. Mr. Pierson's mother was Sarah A. 
Blau\elt of old Knickerbocker stock, who were the fountlers of Blau- 
velt, N. \ . Joseph C. received a liberal public school education in the 
excellent schools of his nati\'e city, which was supplemented by a course 
at the Newark Academy, and completed at the Pingree Preparatory 
School, at Elizabeth, N. J. 

In 1874 Mr. Pierson began his business career in New York 
City as an office boy at 81 Beekman Street, at two dollars a week, 
which was gradually increased until the fourth year, when he received 
$800 for the year. In 1877 he came to California and spent two 
years in San Francisco in the employ of the large mercantile establish- 
ment of Huntington & Hopkins. He then returned to New York City 
and became identified with the lirm of Tennis & Wilson. In 1881 
he began the manufacturing business on his own account in Newark, 
N. [., being engaged in the manufacture of steel gootls. Later he 
became associated with Messrs. Plagler & Forsyth, incorporated as 
Flagler, I'orsyth &. Pierson at 298 Broadway, New York City, with 
IVIr. Pierson as \ice-president. Eater a Mr. Bradley bought his part- 



IIISTom' AXI) !'.l( )C,R. MM IN' -ll.? 

ners' interest and the company became the Bradley & I'ierson Manu- 
factiirinti; Company, with Mr. Pierson as president. They were manu- 
facturers ot metal ji;oods, tools and forgin^s. In 18S7 lie sold his 
interest in the company and removed to Minneapolis, Minn., wiiere he 
was engaged in the hanlware business for two years; selling out, lie 
continued to reside in that Western city for three years more. I le 
again returned to New York City and purchased an interest ami be- 
came treasurer ol the Krasse Company, iiiiporter of tools ami sup- 
plies and one of the oldest firms in New \ ork City, dating back to the 
time when Robert Kulton purchased tools and supplies ot them to 
build his first steamboat. Retaining his interest and oflicial position 
with the Frasse Company, locateil at .^8 Cortlandt Street, New ^'ork, 
now the site of the Terminal Building, .Mr. Piersijn also became 
interested in the (iarwooil Foundry ami .Machine Company at Cjar- 
wood, N. J., of which he was also president. 1 hey made ail the cast- 
ings for the Mall railway signal, some of the castings weighing four- 
teen tons. He was also president of the Brock Wrench Manufactur- 
ing Company of Garwood, N. J., makers of chain wrenches, and 
continued actively in the management of the company until he sold 
his interest to the J. H. Williams Company. At the same time he 
sold his interest in the Garwood Foundry and Machine Company and 
resigned as president of both companies. 

Soon after this the Frasse Company office, factor) and warehouse 
burned down and after settling with the insurance company they sold 
the firm name and business. After selling the Brock Wrench Com- 
pany. .Mr. Retlfield of the J. 11. Williams Company maile a request 
for Mr. Pierson to continue with them, and he accepted the ofler and 
was placed in charge of the New \'ork office, where he continueil ac- 
ti\ely for ten years, when he resigned after being for over fortv \ears 
in business in New ^'ork Cit\'. .Mr. RedticKl, ex-Secretary of Com- 
merce in President \\'ilson"s cabinet, was president of the J. H. Wil- 
liams Company, the largest manufacturers of their kind in the world. 
Before selling out the Brock Wrench Company Mr. Pierson was the 
second largest manufacturer of chain wrenches in the L'nited States. 

In Asbury Park, N. J., in 188.3. Mr. Pierson was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Flattie C. Baker of Asbury Park ami they became 
the parents of four children: \\'iHiam B. of La \'erne. who is married 
and the father of one child; Marion 1'., the wile of D. M. Mauger of 
Smnmit. N. J.; Flelen Estelle, wife ot Robert P. Meager of Berkeley, 
Cal.; ami Joseph T.. attending the L niversity of California. 

As early as 1907, while still li\ing in New ^'ork City, Mr. Pier- 
son became interested in California and purchased an orange gro\e in 
La \'ernc, and later, in 1912. he bought another gro\e, which finally 
culminated in his resigning his position and removing to La \'erne in 
1914, where he resides with his wile in a comfortable bungalow, from 



414 lIISToin' AXI) r,l( )r,R AIMH' 

wliiih place he superintends his oran^fe oreliards, one beinij; a nine- 
teen-year-old Na\el gro\e from which he took 9,000 boxes of oranges 
in 1917. His other gro\e of ten acres is dexoted to Navels, \ alcn- 
cias anil lemons and is just coming into hearing. lie is active in local 
affairs and is a director of the La \'erne Laml and Water Company, 
as well as a director of the Farmers and Merchants Bank at I. a \'erne. 
Mr. Pierson is very patriotic antl justly proud of his distinguished 
Colonial ancestors, being a member of the Sons of the American 
Revolution. He is prominently identified with the social and business 
life of La \'erne antl personally is a man of wide popularity, whose 
natural talents and acquired training make him a valuable addition 
to the communit\'. 



DEWITT CLINTON BRYANT, A.M., M.D., F.A.C.S. 

An eminent physician of pleasing, attractive personalitv who has 
become a most successful specialist is Dr. DeWitt Clinton Bryant, who 
was born near Cleveland, Ohio, on June .1, 1849, the son of David 
Bryant, a merchant, ami a native of Shortsville, N. ^'. He came as a 
young man to Cleveland and there married Miss Sarah Flanagan of 
Ohio; and he died about 1872. iVIrs. Bryant spent her last days with 
her son, Doctor Bryant, in Omaha, and died in 1897. She had three 
children, the subject of our review being the second eldest. 

DeWitt Clinton Bryant received his education in the public schools 
and at Chatham Academy, and after graduation there entered Oberlin 
College, where he was a student until the close of his third year. Then, 
on account of his father's death, he returned home to look after and 
settle up the estate; after which he began the study of medicine, attend- 
uig the medical department of Wooster L'niversity, now the Western 
Reserve LJniversity, from which well-known institution he was gradu- 
ated in 1875, with the degree of i\LD., almost immediately engaging 
in practice in North Ridgeville, Ohio. In 1879, he went to New York 
City and attended Bellevue Hospital Medical College, after which he 
crossed the ocean to Lngland and entered the Royal Ophthalmic Hos- 
pital at London, where he made a special study of the eye and ear. He 
completed the course of study in 1881, and received his certificate of 
graduation, so highly prized the world over. He returned to North 
Ridgeville and again practiced medicine. 

In 1884, Doctor Bryant located in Omaha, Nebr., then a city of 
40,000, and there established himself in the practice of his specialty, the 
eye and ear; entering upon a career of thirty-two years of uninterrupted 
success, from which he tin-netl only when the condition of his wife's 
health made his removal to California a prime tluty. During his resi- 
dence in Omaha, he was one of the foimders, in 1 892, of the Creighton 
Metlical College, anil for twenty-two years he was Dean of the Col- 
lege, from its first session until he resigned to remove to the Pacific 



IIIS'r< )RV AM) I'.II )C.R AI'llN 415 

Coast. During the same period, lie was I'rot'essor of ()plulialiiiolot;y. 
The institution was very successl'ul, with its s3()l). 0(1(1 colle^^e Iniililinv; 
and its hospital erected at a cost of $1 ,(»()(>, Olid. 'I'lie attendance ;rrew 
from tit'teen to more than 200 durinj^ Doctor Bryant's association there, 
and he saw ( )niaha ex|)and so as to boast of a popuhition ot o\ er 
225.000 persons. As a resiiltot his activity in Nebraska, Doctor Bryant 
is an e\-lVesident of the Omaha and Douglas County Medical Asso- 
ciation, anil also ex-l'rcsident of the Nebraska State .Medical .Society; 
and he is a member of the American Medical Association. 1 le was one 
of the founders of the American College of Surgeons with heailquar- 
ters in Chicago, and was a member of its first Board of Supervisors. 
In 1892, the degree of Master of .\rts was conterreil on him by 
Creighton Liiixersitv, and the American College of Surgeons conferred 
on him the degree of Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. 
During all these years he has contributed liberally to medical literature, 
particularly in the field f)f his specialty, and so has gradually become 
widely known to the medical profession, both in America ami abroad. 

He made his first trip to California in 1 891, and after that he came 
west repeateilly. For his wife's sake. Doctor Bryant finally gave up his 
prosperous practice and enviable position in the Creighton .Medical 
College: and having sent his wife here as early as 1914, to seek a 
milder climate, he followed her in 1916. Soon after he purchased his 
present place on Amherst Avenue, Claremont, which he improved and 
beautified with a large modern residence; and besides the beautiful, 
w'ell-kept grounds, he has an acre tievoted to the culture of all kimls of 
fruit trees grown in California, and many from South America and the 
Orient, and finds some of his highest delight in watching them grow. 
He has continued his researches in the science of medicine, and is still 
interested in Omaha medical affairs, maintaining a certain partnership 
with others there. 

At Chatham, Ohio. Doctor Bryant was marrietl to .Miss Sophronia 
J. Peckham, a native of Ohio, although the Peckhams are of an old 
New ^Ork state family, her mother being a (jridlev, of good old Ohio 
stock. Despite all of his loving ministrations. Doctor Firyant was be- 
reaved of his devoted wife in July, 1918. 

Doctor Bryant is a well traveled man. In 1 899-1900, accompanied 
by his wife, he spent a year in I'.urope, where he studied in the line of 
his specialty in London, Berlin and N'ienna. Some time was also spent 
visiting the different ccjuntries of Furope, excepting Russia. In 19o9, 
again accompanietl by his wife, he made a tour of the vvorKI. Leaving 
New York City this trip was via .Madeira Islands, Gibraltar, Cairo, 
Borneo. Philippine Islands, China. Japan, Hawaiian Islamls and back 
to San I- rancisco, a trip of six months. During this trip he visited the 
hospitals in the tlifferent countries and wrote articles on them for meiii- 
cal journals. 



416 IlISTom" AM) r.K )C.R.\niV 

An ardent Republican, Doctor Bryant in 1917 was elected a city 
trustee of Claremont and was immediately chosen presitlent of the 
board. He was made a Mason in Omaha Lodge No. 1, A. F. & A. M., 
as well as a member of the Royal Arch Chapter, Commandery and 
Consistory, in that place, and is a member of the Tangier Temple, A. 
A. O. N. M. S., of r)maha. He is also a member of the Omaha Lodge 
of Elks. F"rom a young man, his religious con\ictions hn\e made and 
kept him a member of the Congregational Church. 



THOMAS ROSS TROTTER 

One of the "old-timers" in Pomona whom e\crvone knows, and 
who, to know, is to esteem and wish to know still better, is Thomas 
Ross Trotter, the very popular city clerk. He was born at Youghal, 
County Cork, Ireland, on December 29, 1850, the son of Edward 
Jackson Trotter, a ship-owner and grain merchant, who owned and 
operated large elevators. He married Miss Charlotte Ross, who he- 
came the mother of thirteen children, among whom Thomas was next 
to the youngest. 

He was educated at the so-called national schools, and as a young 
fellow, took up the study of architecture. After a time, however, the 
lure of the ocean which he had inherited took him to sea, and for 
four years, as a sailor before the mast, he was tossed about on the 
briny deep. He touched at many of the leading ports of the world, 
saw more or less of the life of the leading countries, and so wonder- 
fully enlarged his vision of life and knowledge of other peoples. 

In the early seventies, he came out to Canada, and for four years 
was tow-boat agent on the St. Lawrence Ri\'er and Gulf, with the tluty 
of meeting incoming ships aiul arranging to tow them to port — an 
experience producti\"e of no end of good stories, scjme of which olii' 
subject occasionally tells. For two years, also, he was purser of the 
steamer Marguerita Ste\-enson, a passenger and mail vessel sailing 
between Gaspe and Campbellton. 

Because of an accident, however, Mr. Trotter was compelled to 
abandon the sea, so he made for Toronto, in which bustling city he 
became known for the next three years in the gent's furnishing trade. 
Then he took up a homestead in Manitoba, and later mo\-ed south to 
Phoenix, Ariz., where he acted as clerk for a contractitig company. 

In 1886 he came to Pomona, Cal., remained a few months and 
then went to San Diego, and there he was bookkeeper for contracting 
firms for about a year. Returning to Pomona he located permanentlv, 
engaging in the grocery business. He spent one season at Catalina in 
the boating business. 

On July 3, 190.3, Mr. Trotter was appointed ileputy citv clerk of 
Pomona, and in April, 19(17, he was elected to the office, and has been 



IllS'l'om" WD r.K )C.R AI'IIN' A\'> 

rcclcctci.i ix cr since. 1 Ic is a stanch Republican in politics, ami is a 
rncnihcr nl Pomona Lotljjc No. 789, \i. V. ( ). I'.lks, arul in the circles 
of both no one is more popular, for lie has missed Init on,' lo.lir^ 
mcetinji; in almost ten years. 

In IS91, at Pomona, Mr. Trotter was married to .Miss Nellie 
l',. Kiihn, who died on August 2. 1917. She was the mother of six 
chililren, three of whom died in childhood. I'hose li\inn are: .\da 
Cjarnet, (ieorfj;e \V. and Helen Hazel. Ihe family attend the l'"pisc(>- 
pal Church, .Mr. Trotter being junior warden for twenty-li\'e years. 



ALTON B. 11 II. I. 

A real pioneer ot the Pomona \'alley, one who has reclaimed 
land from cactus antl sagebrush ami developed many acres into pro- 
ductive and flourishing ranches, A. B. Hill deserves mention among 
the representatixe men of this section. Born in Norway, I-ebruarv 
IS, 1856, his people were large landowners and prominent in that 
country. He recci\ed his education in the public schools ami attended 
a military college for three years. On reaching young manhooil. he 
desired greater opportunities than could found in his native countrv. 
and the year 188.1 found him in the United States. His first business 
ventures in the new country were real-estate operations, which he 
carried on in St. Paul, Minn., Buffalo and Rochester, N. Y., Cleve- 
laml, Ohio, and other Kastern cities, and met with success in these 
enterprises, which were on a large scale of operation. 

liefore coming to Pomona, Mr. Hill had purchased lami in the 
Valley, and in 1900 he came here and began the development of his 
hoKlings, consisting of .300 acres, all of it raw huui. He spent large 
sums of money in remo\ing rocks and sagebrush and cacti from the 
land, and then planted, de\eloped and produced from his extensive 
hoKlings; some ot the acreage was put to peaches, apricots and plums: 
and a 12(l-acre ranch took the place of the wiklerness. This property 
was situatetl near First Street and (irami Avenue. Besides this devel- 
opment work, Mr. Hill ilexelopetl a lortv-four-acre orange gro\e on 
Kast Klngsley Axenue; twenty-six acres on San Bernardino A\enue, in 
oranges, grapefruit and tangerines; ami twentv acres on (irand Axenuc 
and Philli|is Boulevard devoted to peaches, apricots anil pears. I lis 
present holdings consist of 250 acres, LlO of which he has given to 
his sons. At one time Mr. Hill owned eighty acres in Pasadena, now 
owned by the Pasatiena Country Club. 

.Mr. Hill has taken an active part in advancing the civic interests 
of this section; ff)rmerly president of the I'lastside Dry ^ artl, iluring 
the war he drieil .125 tons of fruit under government superv ision, and 
was also an imiepemlent shipper of green and drieii truits to New 
York. I'resident of the I'alomarcs Water Company, he has interests 



420 lilS'l'ORV A.\l) I'.IOC.R Al'IlV 

ill icHir dirtcrent water companies, and has spent thousands of tlollars 
yearly on the irrigation system of his property, and at a rough estimate 
has spent over half a milhon on labor and improvements on his ranch 
properties. He markets his crop through the Claremont Citrus Asso- 
ciation. A real upbuildcr and developer in every sense of the word, 
Mr. Hill takes rank as one of the foremost citizens of the Valley and 
a man of sterling character. He is the father of four sons: George 
L., Fhornwell, Robert and Conrad; and three daughters, May Grace, 
Winnie and Stella. 



J. MOSES WHITEHEAD 

Although born aiul reareil in a far northern clime, where the 
orange industry is unknown, J. Moses Whitehead, well-known orange 
grower of Pomona, while comparatively new to the culture of the 
golden fruit, has matle a success in that industry since he came to 
Pomona. 

Mr. Whitehead was born in eastern Ontario, Canada, October 2, 
1878, and was reared in the timber country on his father's 19l)-acre 
goN'ernment claim home place. Logging and the lumber business are 
the chief industries in that section of country, and in his early life Mr. 
Whitehead was accustomeil to the scenes incitlent to these \'ocations. 
In 1899, the year he attained his majority, he sought his fortune in 
the northwest territory, homesteading a piece of land in the newly 
formed province of Saskatchewan, which in 1905 was formed from 
the toriner districts of Assiniboia, Saskatchewan and Athabasca. After 
farming for seven years the allurements of Southern California brought 
him to Pomona, where he arrived July 4, 1906. He purchased his 
present six-acre orange grove, paying $100 down, the remainder to be 
paid withiii three years. He has taken the best possible care of the 
place and the orchard is very productive. Its highest yield was 4,200 
boxes of Valencia and Navel oranges in 1913, and the a\erage yield is 
from 2,500 to 3,000 boxes of fruit yearly. This grove is a part of the 
Packard Orange Grove Tract. Mr. Whitehead also owns a twelve- 
acre grove on West Holt Avenue, one-fourth of which is planted to 
Valencia, one-fourth to Navel, one-fourth to walnut anti one-fourth to 
lemon trees. 

On April 21, 1909, he formed domestic tics by his marriage with 
Miss Laura Hardin, a native of Nebraska, and their fi\e children were 
all born in Pomona Valley. They are: Mildred Genevieve, Laura 
I'li/abeth, Margaret l^lla, and the twins, Josephine E. and Joe A. In 
his religious affiliations Mr. Whitehead is a member of the Pilgrim 
Congregational Church at Pomona, of which he was deacon four years. 

Mr. Whitehead has made a decided success in the orange industry, 
is a young man of enterprise and energy and has many warm friends. 



HISTORY AXI) 1:11 iCKAl'IlV 4_M 

l^ORFIKK) j. Y(>R1^\ 

lortunatc in a name that awakens memories atui fancies of early, 
romantic California days, Portirio J. \'orba was born at Vorba, in 
Orange County, on May 28, 1876, the son of Triniihui ^'orba, also 
a nati\e of that place anil a member of the famous Yorba family once 
playing such a picturesque role in this wide-sweeping Coast countrv. 
His father — I'orlirio's grandfather — was Bernartlo ^'orba, a native 
of Spain and the holder of three grants, aggregating o\cr 165,000 
acres, given him by the King of Spain. These grants were i.a Sierra, 
in Riverside County, and Rancho San Antonio, Canyon Santa Ana. in 
Orange County; and just how historical character the founder of this 
family was. may be gathereil from the reference to him by his con- 
temporary, Harris Newmark, the Los Angeles pioneer, who says in 
his personal reminiscences, "Sixty Years in Southern California," 
beginning with the year 1853: 

"Bernardo Yorba was another great landowner; and I am sure 
that, in the day of his glory, he might have traveled fifty to sixty miles 
in a straight line, touching none but his own possessions. His ranches, 
on one of which Pio Pico hid from Santiago Arguelio, were delight- 
fully located, where now stand such places as Anaheim, Orange. Santa 
Ana, Westminster, Garden Grove and other towns in Orange County 
— then a part of Los Angeles County." 

When Don Bernardo died, on November 20, 1858, adds New- 
mark, with interesting exactness as to details, he bequeathed to nu- 
merous children and grandchildren an inheritance of $1 10.000 worth 
of personal property, in addition to .U.OOO acres of lani.1. 

Trinidad Yorba married Josefa Palomares. a member of an- 
other historic family long among the land barons ot California, and 
a descendant of Don Francisco de Palomares. Governor of the Castle 
of St. Gregory at Oran, Spain. Coming down the generations, we find 
another Don Francisco de Palomares, who was a well-known citizen of 
Toledo, Spain. His children were Don Francisco, who was clerk of 
the city of Madrid and died in 1795; Donicio; Maria Josefa; and 
Juan Leocadio, who crossed the ocean from Spain to Mexico, married 
Dona Maria Antonia Gonzales de Zayas (sister of Father F!lias, an 
influential priest), and established a home in Sonora. fheir only son, 
Juan Francisco, was born in Sonora and became the father of the fol- 
lowing children: Herman, Antonia, Juana, Francisca, Procotio, 
Almara, Tranquilina, Fiburcio, Manuel, Ignacio and Jesus. Among 
the offspring of Manuel was Juan Leocadio, by whose marriage to 
Maria Antonia CJonzales was born an only child, Cristobal. He 
came to Los Angeles as a sergeant in the Mexican army and afterward 
served as judge in that city, while he resided on the site of the present 
Arcade Depot. By his marriage to Benedita Sai/. he had the following 
children: Concepcion, Barbara, Rosario, Irancisco, \ gnacio, Louis, 

HI 



A 14 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

Dolores, Maria de Jesus and Joseta; and it was this attractive 
daughter, Josefa Paloniares, who became the wife of Trinidad Yorba 
and the mother of Porfirio, our subject. There were eight children in 
Trinidad's family, but besides Porfirio, only a daughter, Frances, now 
Mrs. Frank Z. \'ejar, is still living. These t^vo well remember the 
early days when much of the family splendor remained, and the Yorbas 
raised cattle, which they shipped to San Pedro, together with hides. 
Not milch attention was then given to grain, for there was as yet no 
grain mai-kct: but they culti\ated the fields for potatoes, although they 
had to sell them for fi\'e cents a sack. 

Trinidati Yorba died during Porfirio's youth; the latter attended 
the public schools of Orange County, then studied at St. Vincent's 
College at Los Angeles, later attending La Verne College, where he 
was graduated. In 1889, shortly after the great boom in Southern 
California, lie located in the Pomona Valley; he now resides 
on the Lordsburg road at La Verne, and as the result of hard work 
and sensible care of his investments, he has some of the best de\'eloped 
ranch property in the Valley. One hundred six acres are situated 
at the edge of La Verne, and twenty of these he has set out as a 
young orange grove; sixty-fi\-e acres are in walnuts (twenty-four bear- 
ing), and he has some fine ten-year-old trees, from which he took 
nine tons of nuts in 1918, and eighteen tons in 1919. He has devel- 
oped a good supply of fine water in two wells, and installed a motfern 
electric pumping plant, so that iiis ranch is well equipped in every 
respect. On his La Verne ranch he has erected a large beautiful resi- 
dence with well laiti out and improved grounds, which make it one of 
the finest places in the \"alley. He also owns a grain ranch of 418 
acres in Ri\erside County, a part of the original Rancho La Sierra 
gi\en by the King of Spain to Bernardo Yorba ; and he holds title to 
valuable Pomona city property, including the Hotel Pomona Block, 
at the northwest corner of Second and Thomas streets, a two-story 
building 65 by 120 feet. 

At the Cathedral in Los Angeles, Mr. Yorba was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Sarah Valla, on November 28, 1900, the ceremony 
being performed by Bishop Montgomery. She is a native of Los 
Angeles and a daughter of Antonio Valla, who for fifty years was a 
citizen of Los Angeles, occupying a prominent and influential position 
in its commercial and financial development. A descendant of a 
famous Italian family, Antonio Valla was born in Genoa, and in 1857, 
while still in his early manhood, he turned his attention towards 
America, and after a four months' journey by sailing \"essel around 
Cape I lorn and up the coast of South America, he arrived in San 
P'rancisco; two years later he came south to Los Angeles, where he 
resided until his death, on September 26, 1908. In the early days he 
owned the southeast corner of Seventh and Spring streets, Los Angeles, 
where he had his residence for many years. Mr. Valla was acti\'ely 



' "<'!■' »kV AM) IlloC.kAl'lIV 425 

engaged in the niercharulise business until 1870, when he heeame inter- 
ested in the wine industry, establishing one of the first wineries in the 
\icinity. Always a lirni believer in the future of Los Angeles, lie was 
a pioneer in the upbuilding of the business district; lie built a business 
block at First and Los Angeles streets at a cost of $47,000, when 
bankers of the city prophesieil his financial ruin, but his juilgment was 
proved to be well founded, and when he retired in 1SS8, he hail accu- 
mulated a fortune. Mr. V'alla's marriage united him with Trinidad 
Moya, a native ilaughter of' Los Angeles, and a member of one of 
the most prominent old Spanish families. Mrs. \'alla spent her last 
days at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Porlirio J. Yorba, her death 
occurring on September 26, 1917, just nine years to a day after her 
husbaml's decease. 

Three sons have come to bless this union and are the pride and 
ambition of Mr. and Mrs. Yorba, (iilbert, Marco and P'dmund, and 
all three attend the Pomona high school. Mrs. Yorba. a refineil and 
cultured woman, completed her education at Notre Dame College, 
San Jose, and she presides gracefully over the household, aiding her 
husband in his ambitions anil dispensing the true, old-time California 
hospitalitv. The family are members of the Rom.an Catholic Church 
in Pomona, and besides belonging to the Knights of Columbus. Mr. 
Yorba is a member of Pomona Lodge. No. 789, H. P. (). Llks. 



JUDGE W. A. GARRETT 

Prominent among the legal fraternity in Pomona and vicinity, 
Judge \V. A. Garrett for many years took an active part in public 
affairs here and from the standpoint of honesty and integrity he was a 
man whose high stantlanls won for him marked honor and respect. A 
native of Illinois, his birth occurred at NLiquon, November 19, I860; 
when he was nine years of age the family moved to Iowa, and two 
years later to Nebraska, and his early education was at Oxford, that 
state. He later attended the Franklin Academy, and was fortunate in 
being able to study law in the office of a \-ery brilliant attorney named 
F. A. Fletcher, and began practicing at Iloldrege, Nebr. Although he 
acquired a broad education, it was secured through his own efforts, 
and he contributed much to every community in which he lived. In 
1886 he was admitted to the bar, and for two years he serveti as county 
superintendent of schools at Holdrege; and while still superintendent 
was elected county judge of Phelps County, Nebr., serving in that 
office for twehe years. Following this he practiced law for about four 
years and then, his health being broken by overwork, he sought the 
California climate, coming to Pomona to reside. 

In March, 1905, Juilge Ciarrett became a part of the public, edu- 
cational and social life of Pomona; an attorney of unusual breadth of 



426 ]IIST( n<.\ AND UK H-.RAI'l.n- 

knowledge, few men helil the respect of clients ami the members of the 
profession us tlitl he. Few attorneys had a better grasp of the subject 
of law, and on its history and application he was an expert and was 
continually consulted by his associates who sought his ad\'ice in un- 
ravelling i)ractically every ilifficult problem which came up. He was 
of an analytic turn of mind ami naturally adapted tor the work, and 
his loss was keenly felt in Pomona, for to the many who sought his 
advice he willingly gave counsel. There was nothing in his character 
which suggested ostentation or display, but as a public man he held a 
position of unusual trust, and contributed largely, through his thought 
and action, to the community's interests. Judge Garrett passed away 
February 10, 1919. 



CHARLES H. HARDON 

\'aried and interesting ha\-e been the experiences of Charles H. 
Hardon; a man of education and talent, he has traveled widely, seen 
much of the every-day world and real life and derived much \aluable 
experience. Born June 14, 1864, he is a native of Urbana, Champaign 
County, Ohio. When he reached six years of age the family moved to 
Contoocook, N. H., and there he was raised, on a farm, and received 
his preliminary education in the public schools of that country district. 
In 1875 he returned to Ohio and took a four years' course in Urbana 
University. 

Returning to New Hampshire, Mr. Hardon follo\^ed the lumber 
business and farmed until 1888. That year he went to Washington, 
D. C, as clerk in the Cieological Survey; from here he became chief 
clerk in the Department of Stone. During the taking of the 1890 cen- 
sus, and while in this work, he visited nearly all states of the East and 
Middle West, gathering up the scattering ends of the work.. After 
finishing these travels, Mr. Hardon located for a time in Fulton, 
N. Y., and then, in 1894, came to Pomona. He enteretl the employ 
of the Pomona Land and Water Company after his arrl\ al, as engi- 
neer. When the present pumping plant, owned by the Irrigation Com- 
pany of Pomona and located at Pomona Junction, was erectetl, in 1900, 
he assisted in its construction, and since that date lias been chief engi- 
neer of the plant, with the exception of three years from 1910 to 1913, 
which he spent in Cuba as consulting irrigation engineer on a sugar 
plantation, during which time he tra\cled all o\er the island, seeing the 
beautiej of that tropical country ami gaining knowledge as well. 

While in Washington in government work, i\Ir. Hardon met 
Evangeline White, of New York, the laily who later became his wife, 
and who was a clerk under him in the Department of Stone. She Is a 
native of New York state, and recei\ed a fine musical education. An 
alto singer, she taught nuisic In Rlpon College, Ripcin, Wis., and 




Ik- 




zz, &. yyfC(ytL 



!lIS■r()R^■ \.\i) r.K x'.RAi'in' 4_"' 

studied voice and taught with Madame Seiler in Philadelphia, I'a., in 
which city she was a niemhcr of the tirst quartet in Trinitv Episcopal 
Church, and was also choir master aiul leader in the Congrej^ational 
Church at Meadville, that state. Mrs. Ilardon also appeared success- 
fully in ilitierent operas, amonjf them singing the role of Buttercuji in 
"Pinafore." On coming to Pomona she taught music for six vears 
in Pomona College. One daughter, Helen, has blessed the marriage 
of Mr. and Mrs. Hardon. 



ULYSSES ]■:. Will IK 

.\ busy, inrtuential attorney fortunate in a \aluable experience 
through private practice and responsible public service in various 
capacities, is Ulysses E. White, a native of Howard County, Ind., 
where he was born near Tipton on April 4, 1867. His father was 
J. J. White, whose life story is sketched in detail elsewhere in this 
volume, the devoted husband of Miss Lucy J. Long. 

The rural schools of Kansas, to which state the family had mo\ eii 
in 1871, when Ulysses was four years of age, gave the boy his lirst 
educational opportunities, and he continued his schooling in San Diego 
County, Cal., when the Whites later came further west. They 
returned to Kansas, and once more, as has been the case with so many 
who have come to know the attractions of the (jolden State, thty 
pitched their tent in California, this time near Escondido. 

In October, 1883. J. J. White brought his wife and children to 
Pomona, and Ulysses spent three years in the Pomona schools, and 
then took a three-year course at the high school. He next took up 
shorthand and graduated from the Shorthand School in Chicago. 
After that, he entered the law office of P. C. Tonner, and for two 
years studied privately with that well-established lawyer. I"or se\eral 
years, too, he acted as stenographer to W. A. Bell and C. E. Sumner, 
and all this time he studied privately in law offices until 1897. 

In the meantime, Mr. White was stenographer for the Assembly 
Judiciary Committee, and in 1897 was clerk of the Senate Judiciary. 
In 1897 he was appointed Justice of the Peace to (ill the unexpired 
term of H. S. Finney: and in 1898 he was elected Justice of the Peace 
for a four-year term. Then he ranched for eight years, and acquired 
robust health as well as a closer touch with the world of Nature. 

Ha\ing resumed the study of law, Mr. White was admitteil to 
the bar in January. 1914, and has been practicing ever since. When 
Judge Barnes resigned in 1918 Mr. White was appointed Justice of 
the Peace to till the vacancy, and in the fall of 191 S he was reelected 
justice for a term of four years. 



430 HISTORY AXIJ r.lUGRAl'IFV 

On April 1 5, 1897, Justice White was married to Miss Hattie H. 
Dexter; and two sons, Gerald B. and George D., now bless their union. 
He belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of 
I-oresters: and in niitmnal politics is a Republican. 



HENRY LE BOSQUETTE KUNS 

The president of the Mrst National Bank of La \'ei.ie, Henry 
L. Kuns has been prominently concerned with the iiuLstrial and 
ci\-ic de\elopinent and upbuilding of Southern California, as was his 
father, David Kuns, and is one of the most influential citizens of Los 
Angeles County. 

Henry L. Kims was born November 19, 1847, on the old Kuns 
homestead farm in Cass County, Ind., se\-en miles below Logansport, 
situated on the banks of the Wabash Ri\er. I L- is a son of David 
and Margaret S. (Lamb) Kuns, the father being born at Dayton, 
Ohio, and the mother in the vicinity of Wheeling, W. Va. The orig- 
inal representative of the Kuns family in America came from Holland 
about 200 years ago and settled in Pennsylvania. They were Dunkards 
in their religious faith, and thus opposed to war. The name of Kuns 
has ever stood sponsor for the deepest Christian faith and has char- 
acterized the li\es and labors of the \arious generations of descendants 
in the L'nited States. 

John Kuns, the grandfather of Henry L. Kuns, was a youth when 
he accompanied his parents down the Ohio Ri\-er, about 1815. to 
establish a home in the wilds of Montgomery County, Ohio, in the 
vicinity of the present city of Dayton. In 1826 he removed with his 
parents to Carroll County, Ind., where he secured a tract of land on 
the Wabash River. He built the first grist mill that was operated 
in that county, located in the pioneer village of Delphi. While en 
route down the Ohio River he made the acquaintance of Miss Hannah 
Wolf, and before he had reached his destination their wedding was 
solemnized. Their eldest son, David Kuns, the father of the subject 
of this re\iew, was reared on a farm in Indiana, educated in the rural 
schools and followed farming in Indiana until 1853, when he disposed 
of his interests and moved to Piatt County, 111., where he acquired 400 
acres of prairie land which is now owned by his only child, Henry L. 
Kuns. Da\id Kuns resided in Illinois until 1892, when he came to 
California and established a home at Lordsburg (now La Verne). 
W'ith four others he established Lordsburg College, now La Verne 
College, which today stands as a noble monument to the generosity 
of this honored pioneer whose integrity of purpose and high ideals 
of citizenship were unquestioned. He continued to reside there until 
his death, March 12, 1906, ha\-ing rcacheci the age of eighty-six. His 
life was gentle and gracious and was always animated by the most 



IHSToin- AM) r.loC.KAI'llV 431 

lofty ideals and probity of purpose, and he left as a heritage a ^ood 
name, wimh the wise man of old said "was rather to he desired than 
great riches, and his son deems it a great honor to uphold his name. 
i\lrs. .Margaret S. kuns passed away in October. 1905. 

Henry L. Kuns was reared to the age of six years in Cass 
County, Ind., when the family mo\ed to Piatt County, 111 . where 
he grew to manhood. 1 lis early education was receiyed'in the district 
school, after which he attended the high school at Monticello and 
subsequently spent two years at Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Ind 
li-j^i'^^L'*^ ^^hool he engaged in farming in Piatt County, 111. In 
16/4 .Mr. Kuns came to California, where he spent six months touring 
the state, then returned to his Illinois home, and four years later he 
brought his family to California. He lirst located in the yicinitv of 
Cilroy, Santa Clara County, where he was successfully engagcil in fruit 
raising In 1892 he moyed to Merced County, haying 5,000 acres 
of land in the San Joaquin \'alley between, Los' Banos and Xewman, 
1,000 acres of ,t bein,!,r planted to alfalfa. He made the preliminary 
surycy and engineered the construction of liye miles of the outside 
branch of the San Joaquin Canal, which was the means of bringing 
MOO acres of land under irrigation, and this was accomplished after 
Henry .Miller said it could not be done. After liying fourteen years 
in the yalley, he sold his ranch and in 1906 moyed to La Verne where 
his parents were then residing, and, being aged and feeble, he gaye 
them his deyoted care until their death. 

Possessing large and successful financial experience, and being 
recognized as a leader in monetary affairs, a progressiye and yet con- 
scryatiye man of business, it was but natural that Mr. Kuns was 
preyailed upon to organize the First National Bank of La \'erne be- 
coming the principal stockholder, and he seryed as its president for 
many years, until he sold his stock, when he resigned. His broad 
experience and mature judgment haye made him a most yaluable factor 
m regulating the policies of the bank and haye done much to make 
It one of the most solid financial institutions in the county. He also 
owns yaluable orange groyes in the La Verne section. Since 19!^ 
Mr. Kuns has been interested in the Waterman .Mining and Milling 
Company, that owns a quartz lead on the central belt of the mother 
ode, which extends one-half mile on the lode; later he purchased a 
larger mtercst, and he is now president and manager of the company 
Sotni after the close of the war, he began plans for deyeloping it. and 
in October. 1919. began sinking a shaft, and the mine is already 
showing fine. His generosity and beneyolent spirit are exemplified 
in the founding of a noble memorial to his parents and his son Dayid 
l\lr. Kuns purchased a tract of about eighteen acres near I a Verne 
which was improyed with a building originally designed for a hotel,' 
during the boom days. This he fitted up for a home for orphaned 
children and presented the property to the Women's 1 Tome .Missionary 



432 IJlSTom' AM) i;i( )C.RArilV 

Society of the Methodist I'.piscopal Church. The home is known as 
the Da\-id and Margaret Home for ChiKh^en, and an extended sketch 
oi tiiis ^\■orthy institution will he lound upon another page of this 
\()lume. Mr. Runs continues to gi\'e this nohje charity his keen 
interest and financial support, one of his recent donations being an 
additional lifteen acres of lantl on which he expects to erect another 
building, thus making it possible to gi\e this lo\ing care and training 
to a larger number of children. 

On March 28, 1870, Mr. Runs was united In marriage with 
Miss Mary E. Pearce. daughter of Joseph antl Mary (Silcot) Pearce, 
the ceremony being solemnized in Scioto County, Ohio. Fom^ chiKlren 
were born to them: Henry Arthur; Margaret M., who is now Mrs. 
Warren Williams; David, deceased; and Ora, the wife of James M. 
Johnson of La Verne. Mrs. Kuns passed away in 1915. 

One year after the death of his wife, Mr. Kuns was married 
again, being united with Mrs. Lillie (Pearce) Bartlett, born in Illinois, 
who is a niece of his former wife. She is a daughter of Captain John 
W. Pearce, who ser\ed in the Civil War, after which he was engaged 
in the hotel business in Oakland, Coles County, III., where he died 
ten years ago. 

While still looking after his lamied interests, Mr. Kuns is at 
present looking after and acti\'e in the management and tle\-elopment 
of the Waterman Mine. 



WILLIAM T. FLEMING 

A native son of Pomona, born into the family of Peter Fleming, 
whose life is sketched elsewhere in this history, and one who has grown 
up with the town, William T. Fleming has reached a position of prom- 
inence in the business, civic and social life of the community. 

William T. Fleming, the first child born to his parents in Pomona, 
received his education in the public schools of the city, in Pomona Col- 
lege, and Santa Clara College, Santa Clara. On finishing his educa- 
tion he was first employed In the pumping plant of the Consolidated 
Water Company of Pomona, and later conducted a retail cigar store in 
town for a number of years. In 1914 he established the Pomona Cigar 
Company, factory ami jobbing house, with R. B. Vaughn as partner. 
They have a strictly modern manufacturing plant with an output for 
1918 of half a million cigars, their leading brands being the K. of P., 
Claremont and Van Loo. The firm does a large jobbing business, 
with a branch house at San Bernardino, and ha\e built up an extensive 
antl far-reaching trade since thev have been in business. 

Public spirited, as was his father, Mr. Fleming ser\ed four years 
on the city council, from the second ward. During that time manv im- 
provements were made in the city; a new city hall and city stables 
erected; Garey Avenue and Second Street paved, as well as minor im- 



IIIST( )\<\ AM) r.K n\\< W\\\ A.^.l 

provcmcnts. Fraternally, Mr. Flcniinf^ is a member of the Woodmen 
of the Wf>rki and of I^)mona L()Jjj;e No. 789. B. l\ O. I'.lks. A man 
of broad \ ision and proj^ressive spirit, he has taken an active interest in 
all ntovemcnts for bettering conditions ami surroundings in his native 
city and can be depended upon for substantial support at all times. 

Mr. Fleming chose for his wife Theodora L. Loney, also a native 
of Pomona, and daughter of James Loney, a pioneer orange grower in 
the \'alley. Two children have blessed their union, William C. and 
Katherine, who will doubtless grow to be a credit to the family name 
and home city. 



WII.I.IAM W. MiMlIIIX 

.\ particularly aggressive manufacturer of prominence in a town 
long noted for its proportion of progressive, "big" men, William W. 
McMullin, the brick manufacturer, was born at Toronto, Ontarif), 
Canada, on July 13, 1864, the son of William and IVances (Ciolding) 
McMullin. Since he was twenty-three years old he has been engaged 
in brick manufacturing, spending three years in New York City. 

When Mr. McMullin returned to Toronto, he established a part- 
nership with his brother, James H., and followeil brick-making for live 
years in that city. Then they removed, first to Victoria and then to 
Nelson. British Columbia, and in each place continued the same line 
of trade. They would establish a yard, put it on a paying basis, and 
when it was in a first-class condition, sell, to the advantage of both the 
vendor and the buyer. They followed this plan until 1900, when they 
came to Pomona and locateci permanently. Mr. McMullin was in the 
pottery business in Los Angeles for a year. James H. McMullin died 
in 1910, closing a most useful career. 

On coming here, the McMullins bought out the brickyard located 
on Ninth A\enue that had been started by John Whyte, ami they soon 
had a daily capacity of ,35,000 brick, the product of a clay bank, thirty 
feet deep, on the property. Their plant was of modern machinery and 
operated by steam power. I his Mr. McMullin now controls, apply- 
ing the patent rights for a cement brick with a waterproof facing which 
is as satisfactory as if the brick were pressed and which mav be sold 
at a much lower price. He also makes a brown brick which is \ery 
satisfactory, his whole output, in \ariety as well as quantity, contrib- 
uting greatly to the important problems attentling buililing in and 
arounil Pomona, where lumber yards act as agents and dispose of most 
of the stock within a radius of fourteen miles of the city. This brick 
plant is the onlv one within twentv-hve miles of Pomona, and practi- 
cally all ot the brick used in local building since 1900 has come from 
this plant, and eight per cent, of the brick used outside in the Valley. 
Mr. Nfc.Mullin is a director in the Nfutual Buililing ami Loan Associa- 
tion lit Pomona. 



434 IIISTUKV AND J'.IOGRAI'IIY 

In \arioiis ways Mr. McMulIin has foiintl it both possible and 
agreeable to serve his fellownien in a public-spirited capacity. For 
four years he was city councilman from the seconti ward, his services 
beginning with 1913, and during his term of office nine and a half 
miles of pavement were laid and a storm dike built on San Antonio 
wash, to prevent storm water from flooding the city. A Republican 
liigh in the councils of that party, he has also been a member of the 
Public Welfare League, and still serves there, anci he is an ex-member 
of the Pomona Board of Health. He was active in all drives of the 
war, such as the promotion of the various bond loans, the support 
of the Y. M. C. A. and the Red Cross, and thus attested to the full 
his unswerving loyalty and Americanism. 

At Toronto, Ontario, Mr. McMullin was married to Madge 
Gamble, a native of Canada, who is a highly appreciated member of 
the First Methodist Church and the Ebell Club and who was also 
activ e in needed war work. Two sons have blessed their union : Arthur 
E., who was a plastering contractor, and is now associated with his 
father, has two children, Willis and Virginia; and William Hugh, a 
dentist of Los Angeles. Mr. McMullin belongs to the Woodmen of 
the World and the Odd Fellows, Pomona Lodge No. 246, and has 
passed all the chairs in each. He is fond of fishing and enjoys the 
outings in the mountains. 



SELDEN L FORD 

A rancher who, commencing life with little else in the way of 
capital than character, good health, willingness to work and a fine 
record for Civil War service, finally made a real success in several im- 
portant lines of endeavor, is Selden L Ford, who was born at Bath, 
Grafton County, N. H., on May 16, 1843, and reared in Illinois. At 
the outbreak of hostilities between the North and South, he enlisted in 
the Fifty-third Illinois Infantry, and was later changed to the Fifteenth 
Illinois Cavalry, with which he served with distinction until the end 
of the war. He saw hard service in Mississippi and Arkansas, and 
in June, 1865, was mustered out at New Orleans. 

On his return to Oilell, 111., Mr. Ford entered a wholesale house 
as bookkeeper, and in that position he remained for the period of eleven 
years. Then he became a banker in the same town, enjoying the confi- 
dence of the many who knew him, and for four years had charge of a 
private bank. 

In 1885 Mr. Ford came to Pomona and bought twenty acres 
south of the town, which he planted to deciduous fruits and grapes; 
but in time he sold the ranch and bought an orange grove of fifteen 
acres, at the corner of East Holt Street and Central Avenue, and this 
property he still owns. There he grows both Navel and Valencia 



IIIST()K^■ AND r.loCRAl'lI^' 4.^3 

oranycs. and such has been his good luck as the result ol experience 
and application to the study of the problems involved, that the ten 
acres has at times produced 8,000 boxes. Through his output, in fact, 
Mr. lord has come to be known as one of the successful orange grow- 
ers ot today. 

At Odell, 111., on December 4, 1871, Mr. Fortl was married to 
Mar\' L. Warner, by whom he has had three children. Besides a 
daughter, Stella M., there is a son, Frank W., who is manager of the 
Claremont Citrus Association, and another son, IIarr\ (i., who is in 
charge ot his lather's extensive ranch. 

.Mr. Ford is a welcome member of X'icksburg Post, (j. .A. R.. antl 
of the Blue Lodge and Chapter of the Masons. He belongs to the 
Congregational Church, and has been its auditor for many years. He 
is active in whatever circle he tinds himself, and in that respect Mrs. 
F'ord is quite his equal. 



I'lIlLll' (, KId-IX 

An early settler of Pomona \>ho has had the good fortune to 
play an important part in the development of water in Pomona N'alley, 
thereby blessing both the generation in which he has become prominent 
and those Californians of the future who are destined to inherit the 
results of his wise forethought ami hard, intelligent labor, is Philip 
Ci. Klein, a native of Germany, where he was born on June 24, 1860. 
When he was eight years old, he was brought to America and reared 
in F'rie County, Ohio; and there he grew up to work on a farm. Atter 
a while he was employed in the railroad shops of Sandusky, in that 
state, and he left there to come to California. 

When he came to Pomona, in 1887, his ability was soon recog- 
nized and his services were secured by the Pomona Fantl and Water 
Company, for which concern he bored wells during the next nine years. 
Later he undertook well-boring for himself, and, operating for years 
with hand tools, bored many anti deep wells all o\er the fertile \'alley. 
He made a special study of water resources in this part of California; 
he secured results often superior to those of his most aggressive com- 
petitors, and accomplishcil much of the greatest importance in relation 
to the future water supply of the tlistrict. 

Now, with a record for long and successful undertakings, such 
as anyone might be proud to point to, .Mr. Klein li\es retired, the 
owner of a finely-de\cloped five-acre ranch on I.ast Franklin Avenue, 
which he has planteil to walnuts and peaches, f'ormerly this tract 
consisted of ten acres; but he liisposeil of half of the property, and 
finds plenty to occupy his time in the intelligent care he gives the re- 
mainder. 



436 HISTORY AM) IllOCRAIM I V 

When Mr. Klein marricci, he took tor his wife Emma Harnisen, 
a native of Illinois antl an admirable woman, who has been his com- 
panion and helpmate, and who attends with him the Evangelical 
Lutheran Church. Eighteen years ago he joined the Knights of 
Pythias. Pomona may well be congratulated on such an enterprising, 
broad-spirited citizen as Philip Klein, who has often congratulated 
himself that he cast his lot in the Pomona \'allev. 



[RA L. NEIBEL 

What superior intelligence, clear foresight and the wisiiom to 
choose the right Held of endeavor, the Held for which one is by natural 
inclination and personal gifts most Htted, and then to work, that Held 
with bold but conser\ati\e enterprise, and a patriotic desire to adxance 
as far as possible the de\-elopment of the state's resources, and pai^- 
ticularly the section in which he makes his home; what these activities 
can accomplish is exempliHecl in the life of Ira L. Xeibel, one of the 
prominent developers of Pomona Valley. Durnig his lifetime he was 
one of the largest real estate operators in the \"alley, and with his 
partner, E. (j. Bangle, put through some of the most extensive tleals 
ever made in this section, rimning into the millions, and with far- 
reaching results in the upbuilding of all lines of imiustry. Mr. Xeibel 
was a nati\e of Ohio, born near Dayton, June 19, 1873; his father, 
Frank, and mother, Mary ( Klein) Xeibel, now both deceased, came 
to I'omona \'alley ami settled on a ranch near Chino, in 1892. Ira 
L. worked on the home ranch in his youth, and later ranched on his 
own land in the same locality, for two years; he rented additional land 
antl raised grain and fruit. 

Mr. Neibel later engaged in the real estate business in Pomona, 
and in 1912 formed a partnership with E. G. Bangle, under the firm 
name of Xeibel & Bangle, and the partners became very acti\-e and 
\-ery successful in their development operations. Mr. Xeibel was also 
an orange grower in the Valley, ami in buying ami selling property 
became a fine judge of \alues in this \icinity, his ad\'ice being sought 
by many prospecti\e purchasers. 

The marriage of Mr. Xeibel, December 25, 1901, united him 
with Blanche A. Day, a daughter of E. M. Day, one of the early set- 
tlers in the Valley, and three children were born to them : Franklin E., 
Clemett L. and Mildred V. In fraternal circles Mr. Xiebel was very 
active in the Knights of Pythias, and Mrs. Xeibel, a most excellent 
helpmate to him, has also been active in that order, has been through 
all the chairs in the auxiliarv orilcr, the Pythian Sisters, ami is now 
Most F-xcellcnt Chief. Since her husband's death, which occurred Sep- 
tember 25, 1915, she has acquired a ten-acre peach orchard at Phila- 



IIISTi )K^■ AM) I'.K )C,K Al'lh A.V) 

dclphia and Townc avenues, ami has been very suceessliil in lievelop- 
inj; her property, ami has proxen herself a woman ol resource ami 
enterprise. She was a memher ol the Ked Cross committee, and dur- 
ing the World War ami i-Jeii Cross ilrises was one of the lieiiienants. 



I RID K. i.l WIS 

Whoe\er lahors to secure the development of his section of our 
great cotiimonwealth, strivinj^ to hrin^f out its latent resources, who 
seeks to promote the cause ol justice and in the course of a useful life 
atlvances, directly or indirectly, our commercial, educational and a>i;ri- 
cultural j);ro\\th, he it is who earns a place as a puhlic benefactor and 
is entitled to mention in the pa^es of histor\-. Such is the character 
and such the record of I-red H. Lewis, one of the early pioneers of 
Pomona and one to whose determination, persev erance ami ener^v riot 
a little ol the city's development may be attributed. 

Born in Kussell, Mass., Auj^ust 18, 1866, 1 red R. Lewis is the 
son of Alexamler IL (i. and I'.li/abeth (Russell) Lewis; the father 
was a business man in Sprinfflicld. that state, and was deputy sheriff 
of 1 iampdcn Ccjunty for many years. He answered his country's call 
during the Civil War, and enlisted in the 'Jhirty-tirst Massachusetts 
Infantry Rej^iment ami served ilurinjf the war. Both parents are 
now deceased. 

Ihc eldest of two children born to his parents, I- red R. Lewis 
receivcti his education in the public schools ami hij^h school in his 
native state, ^raduatiny from the latter in Springfield, Mass., in 1884. 
In the interval before coming West, he followed the general n)erchan- 
dise business, then made the trip to California, in 1890, ami located 
in I'omona. For three years after his arrival he followed horticulture, 
after which he engaged in the implement business with I'hii Stein, on 
the northeast corner of Secoml Street and Garev Avenue. In this busi- 
ness he continued tor thirteen years, and during this time the two men 
joined forces in forming the Pomona Implement Companv, in 1907. 

Besides his business and personal interests, Mr. Lewis from the 
beginning of his resilience here took an active part in the upluiiKling 
of the city. The company erected their buililing on the southeast 
corner of (jarey ami Second, with a 105-foot front, at a cost of 
$7,000. now occupleil by the State Bank. .Mr. Lewis also was inter- 
csteil in erecting other business blocks, some of the linest property in 
the citv, among them the Lewis Apartment I louse, a modern brick 
building on Last Second Street. 

In 1906 he sold out his business interests, and in I 9(17 became 
identilied with the Pomona N'allev Ice Company, and on the resigna- 
tion of Frank Johnson, in 19(l9, was made superintendent of the com- 
pany. Many moiiern improvements have been put in since that ilate. 



440 jiis'i'om' AM) i;ii )(■,R.\l'll^■ 

among them a cold storaji;e warehouse liuilt, the factory itseit having 
been built in 1906. They employ from twenty-live to lifty men, accord- 
ing to the season, and are fully equippeil with everything pertaining 
to a modern and thoroughly managed ice and cold storage plant. 

The marriage of Mr. Lewis, which occurred on April 7, 1917, 
united him with Mrs. Eleanor (CofHn) Ciarcelon. widow of Dr. Frank 
Garcelon. Fraternally Mr. Lewis is a Mason, holding membership in 
the Lodge, Chapter and Commandery of Pomona, of the Los x^ngejes 
Consistory and Al Malaikah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He is a past 
master, a past high priest and a past commander. Tn business circles 
he is active in the Chamber of Commerce. Since his lirst residence 
here he has been connected with the Pilgrim Congregational Church. 

Fond of outdoor life, Mr. Lewis takes his greatest pleasure in 
horseback riding and other like recreation, and is a man of wise and 
broad \ision, as is always the case with lovers of nature. Farsighted 
in future possibilities for Pomona Valley, he has stood a ready worker 
for even greater advancement than the past twenty years have shown 
in this favored spot, ami among his fellow citizens has always been 
regarded as one of the moving spirits of the community. 



HARRY MISHLER 

Since 1887 Harry Mishler, veteran of the Civil War and Cali- 
fornia pioneer contractor and orange grower, has been identified with 
Pomona, and has witnessed its growth from a small village to its 
present thrix'ing proportions. 

He was born at Johnstown, Pa., September 10, 1842. Reared 
on a farm, he attencied the country schools, and when the Ci\il War 
broke out enlisted September 10, 1862, in Company D of the One 
Hundred Forty-second Pennsylvania Regiment, Volunteer Infantry. 
He served under Colonels R. B. Cummings, and A. B. McCalmont 
and was a member of the Army of the Potomac and served under 
Generals Grant, McClellan, Burnside and Meade. He took part in 
many of the great battles of the war and his regiment suffered the loss 
of more men than any other Pennsylvania regiment. Mr. Mishler 
participated in the Battle of Gettysburg, picked up the flag and carried 
it out, and was promoted to the rank of corporal for bravery. He 
was wountled at Chapin's Farm, and after being discharged from the 
hospital in Baltimore, received his honorable discharge from the 
Army, being among the first six at Baltimore. After the war he re- 
turned home, and in 1869 went to Springfield, Mo., where he followed 
the trade of carpenter. He was a member of the John Matthews 
G. A. R. Post at Springfield. 

Tn 1887 he came to Pomona, Cal., where he engaged in the con- 
tracting business. He erecteil the ]-'irst Methodist Church and other 



HISTORY AXIJ I'.K H.RAl'in' 441 

buildings antl homes in I'oniona, niul purchased tlic lour-acrc orange 
grove on Hast I-"ifth Street, his present home. He rehudded the trees 
and has raised many Hne crops of oranges on his ranch. 

His marriage, January 14, 1 S69, in l'ennsyl\ aiiia, united him 
with Sarah Withnnv, a nati\e of I'ennsyhania. Fhe diiliiren born 
of their union are: (irace M., a teacher in Lincohi School, Fomona ; 
Mary, deceased, who married Albert Moore and left two children, 
Clyde, who served with the United States Army in IVance, and 
Mildred; Bertha, also deceasetl, who was a teacher in the kimler- 
garten school at Pomona, one of the first kintlcrgarten schools estali- 
lishcd in the state of California; Anna, now Mrs. Phillips of Del 
Norte County, Cal.; Ralph, a mining engineer in Mexico; Harry, who 
resides in Los Angeles, Ca!.: and George, a carpenter, who li\es at 
West Hollywood. Cal. 

.Mr. and Mrs. .Mishlcr arc members of the Methodist Church, 
and Mrs. Mishler has been an active member of the hulies' aiil and 
the foreign missionary societies of the church. Mr. .Mishlcr is past 
senior and junior vice-commander of \'icksburg Post No. 61, (i. A. 
R., at Pomona. 



ALVIN RAXD MESERVF 

A pioneer of California since the early titties, and also one of 
the tirst settlers in Pomona \'alley, Alvin Rand Meserve can rightfully 
be called an upbuilder of the state, and more particularly of that 
portion of it enclosed in this beautiful \'alley, and that part called 
Southern California. A man of strong character and con\ictions, 
which he inherited from his New I'lngland ancestry, he upheltl the best 
interests of each community in which he made his home and had the 
foresight to see where the real interests lay for future posterity. Horn 
June 23, 183.^, in South Gorham, Maine, Mr. Meserve is a son of 
Samuel and Hanna (Green) Meser\c, both ardent workers ff)r the 
temperance movement. 

In 1852, at the age of nineteen years, AKin R. made the long 
journey to California, and in Sacramento he found employment as a 
clerk in the wholesale house of Crocker Brothers. Later he was with 
his brother, William H., who was in business in the little mining town 
of Prairie City. His marriage, at Sacramento, united him with I'".li/.a- 
beth Holser, the daughter of a '49er, the ceremony taking place in 
1860, and the young couple left for Santa Cruz in 1S65. In that cltv 
Mr. .Meser\c engageil in the mercantile business and also gave his 
time to civic affairs, serving as county treasurer of Santa Cru/ Countv 
for four years. 

In September, 1874. Mr. Meserve, with the Rev. C. I'. Loop, 
purchasetl 2,200 acres of land from the descendants of Ygnacio Palo- 
mares, the property being thereafter subdiviiled into the .Meserve and 



442 illST( )\<\ AM) I'.K K'-RAI'IIV 

Loop Tract. Ill I'cbruary, 1877, Mr. Mcscrvc niovcii with his family 
to this tract ol land near Pomona, and used lor a residence the old 
Palomares adobe ranch house. I'or the next nineteen years he became 
a part of the rapidly-growing settlement and was identified with the 
development of its horticultural resources as well as taking a prominent 
part in all movements for upbuilding the Valley generally. In 1896 
he left for Los Angeles and became horticultural commissioner, con- 
tinuing in that office until his death, his knowledge along that line of 
de\elopment work having been found most \aluable to the \'arious 
horticultural enterprises in the southern part of the state. His death, 
which occurred February 7, 1912, at the age of se\enty-eight, came 
at the end of a broad and useful career, and the influence of such men 
as he has given to our state its present place in the sun. 

Of the four children born to this pioneer couple, three are now 
li\ing: Harry W., now li\ing at Brawley, Imperial County; Edwin A., 
an attorney of Los Angeles; and Bessie, the wife of C. E. Sumner. 
Elmo R., the youngest son, died at forty-two years of age. 



WILLIAM REID 

Among the pioneers of Pomona Valley, the late William Reid 
is well remembered. Possessed of the sterling attributes of his Scottish 
ancestry, he was a man of integrity and upright, moral character, pro- 
gressi\e in his ideas, respected by friends, neighbors and acquaintances. 

He was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, July 21, 1839, and was 
a blacksmith by trade. In his earlier life he emigrated to Owens 
Sound, Ontario, Canada, where he followed the trade of blacksmithing 
twenty vears. In 1887 he came to Pomona, Cal., and for a short time 
continued his trade in his new environment and in Puente. He after- 
wards purchased an orange grove on Orange Gro\e Avenue, in the 
Packer Tract, and became a successful grower of oranges, taking great 
interest in his gro\e, a part of which he planted himself. He was one 
of the original signers of the Pomona I'ruit Growers Exchange. 

He married his first wife in Scotland, who before her marriage 
was Miss I'dlen Patterson. She bore him two children. Airs. [. E. 
Adamson of Pomona and W. A. Reid of Riverside. His second wife, 
whom he married January 24, 1895, and whose maiden name was 
h'lizabeth Adamson, came to Pomona in 1889. She was a witlow 
when she married Mr. Reid, and was Mrs. Elizabeth McCartcr of 
Ontario, Canada. She hail two children by her first husbantl, Ciordon 
A. McCarter of Ontario, Cal., and Mrs. Mashmeyer of Pomona. 

Since Mr. Reid's ileath, which occurred in 1906, his widow has 
demonstrated her ability as a good business woman in the success she 
has achie\ed in managing the ranch. She has m;uiv warm fricntls and 
is active in Red Cross work. Mr. and Mrs. Reid were identified with 
the Christadelphian ilenomi nation. 



HISTORY AXl) I'.K )C,R AIMIV 445 



cii.\Ru:s c. nil 1- 



Amon^ the most enterprising and pr(igressi\e citizens ot La \ erne, 
one who has always been a prime nio\er in aiisancing the best inter- 
ests ot the community in all its civic aliairs, is Charles C. IIuH, who 
for fifteen years, at difterent periods, has been a member ot the Board 
of Trustees of La \'erne, am.! at one time served as its chairman, an 
office equivalent to that ot niayt)r. 

Mr. Hurt is a native of Iowa, a state whose sons ha\e always 
contributetl largely to the upbuildmg of c\'cry California community 
in which they have settled. He was born in Clarence, Cedar County, 
on Christmas Day, 1864, but was rearcil near Waterloo. Blackhawk 
County in that state. He is the son of James and Maria (Clark) 
Huff, natives of Sullivan County. Ind., where they were marrieil. and 
soon afterwards migrated to Iowa and were early settlers of Cetlar 
County. After some years engaged in merchandising. James Huff 
became agent for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad at Cedar 
Rapids. In 1892 he quit railroading and came to California, locating 
in Pomona. His death occurred in La \'erne in 1906; his widow, who 
survives him, makes her home with her son, Charles C and is now 
eighty-nine years of age — the head of ti\"e generations. Of their nine 
children tour are living. Charles C the next to the youngest, was 
fortunate in receiving a gooti education in the schools of Ceilar Rapids, 
Iowa. He also took a course in the Cedar Rapiils Commercial Col- 
lege where he learned telegraphy, and after graduating he became a 
telegraph operator and station agent for the old B. C. R. & \. Railway 
Company, now a part ot the Rock Ishuul System. He was also inter- 
ested in different business enterprises, among them an original stock- 
holder in the Waterloo State Bank and a director of same, as well as 
owning a half interest in a brick block in that city. He was agent at 
different cities for the above railroad company until he came to Po- 
mona, on July 3. 1897. 

After coming to the Golden State. Mr. Huff engaged in orange 
culture for a year and a half, when he disposed of his place and pur- 
chased a ten-acre walnut grove on A Street, La \'erne, where he still 
makes his home. His trees are now twenty-live years old anil produce 
a large crop. At one time he was in the poultry business and raised 
as many as 1,500 chickens at one time, but eventually gave it up and 
engaged in the egg business on a large scale. For the past eighteen 
years Mr. Huft has been buying eggs from the poultrv raisers of 
Pomona \'alley and successfully shipping them to the large mining 
camps of Arizona. His business has now grown and developed until 
he now ships on an average of .^,000 dozen weekly. Lach egg is 
carefully packed in a separate compartment of a cardboard carton, 
which is stamped with Mr. Huffs private brand. "Queen Brand," and 
each egg is also stamped "C. C. Huff," and guaranteed strictly fresh. 



440 HISTORY AM) I'.lc XVRAI'IIY 

Always rcatiy to gi\c generously of his time anil energy toward 
the inipro\enient of the eoiimumity, Mr. Huff lias taken a great in- 
terest in eivie affairs, ami during his term as ehairinan of the Board of 
Trustees of La Verne he was instrumental in having a number of the 
streets pax'ed, a fire house built and a lire truck installed, and a munici- 
pal water plant constructed, which has lowered the water rates, to the 
great satisfaction and benclit of the general public. At present he is 
chairman of the police and fire commission. Politically he is a Re- 
publican anil a very acti\e member of the party; in early days he 
served as a delegate to both county and state con\-entions and at one 
time was a member of the County Republican Central Committee. 

l-'raternally he is very prominent and is past exalted ruler of 
Pomona Lodge No. 789, B. P. O. Elks, and past chancellor commander 
of the Knights of Pythias, and was special deputy grand chancellor 
of Northern Iowa for one year. Mr. Huff was made a Mason in the 
Waterloo, Iowa, Masonic Lodge, of which he is a past master. After 
coming to California he demitted and is now a member of Pomona 
Lodge \o. 246, F. & A. ^L He is a member of Pomona Chapter 
No. 76, R. A. M., of which he is past high priest; a member of 
Soutliern California Commandery No. 37, K. T. in Pomona and past 
commander of Ascalon Commandery No. 25, K. T., at Waterloo, 
Iowa; he is also a member of the coimcil in Pomona; is past patron 
of Waterloo Chapter No. 128, O. E. S., W^aterloo, Iowa, and at pres- 
ent a member of the I']astern Star Chapter in Pomona, and a member 
of i:i Kahir Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A 
firm believer in cooperation in community affairs, Mr. Huff is a mem- 
ber of the El Monte Walnut Cirowers Association. He is now among 
the oldest business men in this section and is held in the highest esteem 
in La N'erne for his sterling qualities of citizenship and the beneficent 
inHuence he has exerted in civic affairs. 



MRS. MARY JANE PALLETT 

There are still some of the pioneers of the Pomona Valley living 
to recount the early days when there were no towns or flourishing 
orchards in what is now the Valley except Spadra and a few scattering 
houses at Lordsburg, when the entire section was given over to the 
stock business and was co\'ered with sagebrush and bunch grass. One 
of the interesting pioneers is found in Mrs. Pallett, now living at Big 
Rock, Los Angeles County. She was born in L^tah, on July 7, 1854, 
the daughter of William and Sarah Ann (Prigmore) Whitfield, pio- 
neers of California who came from Dallas County, Texas, via the Utah 
route. Mr. Whitfield was born in Tennessee, moved to Arkansas 
when he was ten years old and there attended school in a log school- 
house fitteti with slab benches and with a dirt floor. He remained in 



nisT< »in' AM) r.n )(■.I^\l'll^■ aa7 

Arkansas until lie was cif^Iitccn and then went to Dallas County, 
'I'exas. where he tollowetl tarminjf ami stock raisiiiff aiul where he 
was niarrieil to Sarah A. I'rij^rTiore, a native ot Missouri, who went 
to lexas with her parents when she was a sn'all child. Mis. WliirlieKl 
was the ilau^hter ot Joseph I'rif^more, a '40er in Caiilornia, ha\in^ 
come froni Texas to mine lor gold in the new l.l Dorado, lie went 
back to Texas in 1S52, well satisfied that Calitornia held better pros- 
pects than liiii the Lone Star State. He tlisposed of his holdings and 
with his family and other relatives started overland with ox teams 
for the (JoUlen \\'est in IS54. .Mary jane \MiitlieId was horn on 
(ireen Ri\cr and the family continued their journey ami arri\eil in 
Scotts \'alley, where the father engaged in mining, later moving to 
Contra Costa County, where the Prigmores and Mr. Whitfield en- 
gaged in ranching for a time. They sold out anel returneil to Texas 
and bought cattle and horses anti began the stock business on a large 
scale until the Civil War broke out, when Mr. Whitfield enlisted and 
ser\ed in the Confederate Army till the close of the conflict, when he 
once more turned his face towards the West, and arri\ed in Southern 
California, where he made his home until he passed away, on October 
31, 1915, agetl eighty-four years. His widow died two years later, on 
No\ember 13, 1917, when in her eighty-fourth year. They settled 
first at Cucamonga, where the family raised grapes, peaches and 
prunes, then on account of old age Mr. Whitfield sold out and lived 
at Spadra and then bought a home in Ri\cra to li\c retired. This 
pioneer couple had nine children, five of whom as living, as follows: 
Mary J., Mrs. Pallett, of this review; Lucinda, Mrs. Lewis AL Mont- 
gomery of San Bernardino; William C. Whitfield of Grass Vallev, 
Ore.; Lee, Mrs. William F. Haag of Rio Brava, Cal.; and Belle, 
Mrs. LLirry Milner of Inglewood. 

Mary J. Whitfield attendeil school in Texas ami California and 
rcmaincil with her parents until her marriage, on May 24, 1876, at 
Rivera, Cal., to James R. I'allett. He was born in Tennessee in 1850, 
and received a common-school education in the schools of Tennessee. 
Missouri and California, whither he came with his people when a 
young lad. The family settled at Rivera, where the elder Pallett and 
his three sons owned the largest walnut grove in the state. The father 
and two of his sons sold out and went to South America. 

After the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Pallett they made their 
home in Rivera for a time, then bought a ranch at Big Rock, Los 
Angeles County, and moved there and engaged in the stock business 
until the death of Mr. Pallett in 1891. They had three children: 
Cjeorge W., who resides with his mother on the ranch; Annie May, 
who marrieil Thomas A. Williams of Pomona ami is now deceased; 
and James Thomas, who is married and has a daughter, Lorraine. 
I le lived four vears in Arizona, but is now in California. .Mr. Pallett 



448 1I1ST( )K\ AM) UK )C,R \l'l!^■ 

was a Democrat in politics, was a \ery public-spirited man and one 
who made and retained friends. 

Mrs. Pallett tells many interesting incidents ot pioneer tlays when 
she lived with her family at Spadra ; she remembers the country that 
is now dotted with cities and towns when the land was covered with 
sagebrush and cattle roamed at will over the Valley, and when there 
were no roads, nothing except trails leading from one ranch to another. 
One incident she mentions is of a man who came to their home, after 
working for the Southern Pacific Railroad and was returning East, to 
have some of his laundry done by the Whitfield women. He was short 
of cash and offered to deed to Miss Whitfield two lots he owned in 
the Pomona townsite (the present site of the Salt Lake depot and 
tracks), and which was refused because they did not know where the 
money was coming from to pay the taxes. Little did she think that 
those lots would ha\-e become so valuable in time. Such incidents as 
these make history \aluable to posterity. 



WILLIAM H. KILLR 

An interesting pioneer of I'omona, who saw hari.1 serxice m the 
Civil W'ar and was thus the better equipped to stand the trials of 
an earlv orange grower working amid conditions largely experimental, 
was the late William H. Kiler, who was a nati\e of (jreene Comity, 
Ohio, where he was born on May 12, 1846. Although he enlisted 
only lour months before the close of the great struggle between the 
North and the South, he diil his duty to the last, decisive hour, after 
which, returning to the paths of peace, he took a course in a business 
college at Pittsburgh, Pa. Then he conducted a general merchandise 
store first in Wadesburg and later in Harris\ille, Cass County, IMo., 
withdrawing to become a merchant in Colorado Springs, Colo. 

During 1885, when prosperity was c\erywhere on the increase in 
California, iVir. Kiler came out to Pomona and bought eie\'en ami 
three-tenths acres of raw land in the Kingsley Tract, where he set out 
peaches, pears ami apricots, supplanting the same later with cn-anges. 
This gro\-c Mrs. Kiler assisted her husband to lay out and plant, and 
she still owns the property and manages the business. 

Mrs. Kiler was Miss Candace Wills before her marriage, and 
she was a natlxe of Brown County, Ohio. They were joinetl in matri- 
mony at Garden City, Mo., on September 10, 1874, and two children 
blessed their union. Lillian is Mrs. S. J. White, the mother of a son, 
Clarence, who is a student in Pomona College, and a daughter, Arline; 
while Jesse L. is a ci\il engineer, who married Miss Emma Sprague, 
ami has a son, Harold. For eight years Jesse Kiler was the city engi- 
neer of Sawtelle, Cal., anil he helped survey and lay out Santa Monica 
BoulcN'ard, thus coming to stand high in his profession ; and now he 
has charge of his mothei-"s ranch. 



lllS'i'( )KV WD IMoC.kAl'IIV 431 

I'he late Mr. Kilcr was one of the lOiiiuicis ol one of the first 
packing houses, and was president of the California I'roikice Companv 
atul for many years secretary of the Kingsley Iract Water Company. 
1 li invented and patented a couple of ile\ices for use in irrij^atiiiff 
s\ stems, one of which was a \al\e now in general use. When he died, 
on January 5, 1908, his passing was reganleil as a serious loss to 
I'omona and vicinity, then so rapitlly ileveloping its landed interests. 
He had been active in the lirst IVeshyterian Church, was a charter 
member of the I'lastern Star and a Mason, and in all those circles he 
was highly esteemed tor rare, desirable qualities. 



L1:R()V MIWKll 

Occupying a promiiicnt place among the men of influence in La 
^'erne, Leroy Minnich is not only an able antl efficient bookkeeper 
but an expert in his line of work, lie was born in Darke Countv. 
Ohio, November 20, 1884, and brought up in the farming district in 
Delaware Count)', Ind. After attending high school he supplemented 
this with a course at Manchester College at North Manchester, Intl., 
anil afterwaril taught one term in the country schools, then returned 
to the same college and completed the commercial teacher's course and 
also took a course in stenography, being graduateil in 1907 with the 
degree of Bachelor of Accounts. During this time he was also assistant 
professor in bookkeeping in the college and made a splendid record as 
instructor. In October, 1907, he came to PoiTiona where he became 
an employee of the Indian Hill Citrus Association at North Pomona. 
In the spring of 1908, he atteniled Woodbury's Business College at 
Los Angeles and received a certificate to teach commercial work in 
high schools, and at the time they were building the Owens River 
aqueduct to Los Angeles he became associated with the clerical de- 
partment of the Los Angeles City Water Department. lie became 
chief clerk of the engineering department on Division No. 8 and later 
had charge of the office of Assistant Lngineer Shuev, with headquar- 
ters at Independence, Inyo County. This was all in connection with 
the water development for the Citv of Los Angeles. In January, 1910, 
he returned to Los Angeles ami May 20, 1910, he acceptetl the posi- 
tion of bookkeeper ff)r the La \'erne Orange and Lemon Cirowers 
Association, ami when two separate associations formed, on September 
I, 1919, he became bookkeeper for both the La \ erne Orange Cirow- 
ers Association antl the La \'erne Lemon (irowers Association. 

Mr. .Minnich has been twice marrieil. He was united to V.tfx 
.\|.iy Bowman of Los Angeles, June 25, 1909, and she bore him two 
children, Ora Leroy and .Mary Idlcn. About two vears after the 
bereavement o\ his wite, he marrieil Catherine Roiiinson ot Marv- 
land, and they are the parents of a daimhter, Lillian Pearl. 



45; nisTv>KV Axn ixUV.KAruv 

Mr, Minnkh is pronv.nont in the civic lite ot l.a \'crne. is a 

tr.oinbcr ot the bo.ud oi trustees ot the city and is chairman ot the 

water Ci^snniittee. lie was the first secretary and prime mover in 

\^ the Fire Oepartment and was huer the chiet ot the de- 

;- ,. .. He has also served as city recorder ot la \ erne, as weU 

as secretarv ot the I a \ erne Chamber ot Co;muerce, I le is secre- 
tar\ ol the I a \ erne Land and Water Company, a position he has 
held tor six \ears. He is also quartermaster sergeant ot the C^ne 
HundrCvith Company ot State Military Reserves vtonnerly the Home 
viuardV In his church associations he is a member ot the Church ot 
the Brethren at la Verne, and in his traternal atlrliations. is a member 
of Pojnona Lodsje No, 107. Knisxhrs ot Pythias, and the Knights ot 
Kliorassan at San Bernarviino, Take it all in all, he is an exceedingly 
bi;s\ man. but in spite ot this he is enterprising and liberal and willing 
at all times to give his time and nseans as tar as he is able towards the 
upbuilding ot his adopted city. 



Rl-V: FDMlNn MORRIS ITASE. M. D. 

In ItvH. six years atter the tounding ot Salem, there came to this 
young settlement among other immigrants ot l\iritan temper, a certain 
John Pease. He was the tirst ot his tamily in the New World, and 
e \, .nations have been marked by his aturageous taith. unswerv- 

i \„ ;y ro trutli and devotion to God. qualities which peculiarly 

characterised Dr, Fdmund Morris Pease in his lite of service to 
God and men. 

Descended from the John Pease of Salem through the following 
line of dcsceirdants are : John. David. Benjamin. Job. Job. Asa. Asa and 
b'dmund Morris. Dtvtor Pease was bom in Granby. Hampshire County, 
Mass,, December t>. ISJ?S, After studying in the common schools of 
that place he went to WiUiston Seminary, in East Hampton, to prepare 
' \. ig. This he later took in Amherst College, from 

V ., ^...,.,.,.:ed with the degree of A, B, in 1S54, Three years 

later the degree of A. M. was cvinf erred up^m him by his Alma Mater. 
Alrer gr he bec;jme a teacher, tirst instructing for a period 

of tAvo \... > .. bo\-s' school in Baltimore, and then serving as tutor 
for one year in Amherst, He gave up teaching, however, in order to 
prepare himself for the medical profession, with a view to becoming 
a medical 3i:issionary. and in 1^62 he gr;iduatevi from the College of 
Physicians and Surge\"<ns of Columbia University. At this same time 
he pursued a course at the F nion Theological Seminary, from which 
he also graduated. 

No sooner had Doctor Pease tinished his training than came the 
ca!l tor \\^l,:nteers in the Civil War, and he immediately offered his 
services. He was appointed assisranr surgeon in tlie Sixteenth Connec- 
ticut Regiment. One year later. October 27, 1 S63. he was given the 



PflSTORV AND l:[rjr,R\[-PIV 4-.^ 

position of surgeon, with the rank of major, in the famous regiment 
known as the Ninth United States Colored Troops. His regiment was 
assigned to the Army of the Potomac, and was the first to enter Rich- 
mond when that city was taken. When peace had been declared, he 
was sent to Texas and was chief medical officer of the Department 
of the Rio (jrande. Later he was ordered to Louisiana, where he 
remained until the latter part of 1866, when he was honorably dis- 
charged at Baltimore. 

Doctor Pease then entered upon professional life and practiced 
medicine for Hve years in New York, and for six in Springfield, Mass. 
In the latter place he met Miss Harriet A. Sturtevant, a native of 
Westport, Lssex County, N. Y., to whom he was married in Borden- 
town, N. J., April 25, 1877. 

In early life having decided to devote his energies to the cause 
of missions. Doctor Pease went immediately after his marriage to the 
Marshall Islands as a medical missionary. He located on Ebon, where 
a church and school had already been ' 'bed by former mission- 

aries. After two years of labor he tr J the school to Kusaie, 

one of the Caroline Islands, and made it an effective trainmg school 
for native workers. Dur' '■ ■» ■ . .^^ years of service 

as teacher, preacher and -Ive churches were 

added to an original three, ten native pastors were ordained to the 
ministry, and thirteen unordained native teachers were installed in the 
islands. After having acquired a mastery of the language, which, by 
the way, is totally different from the Polynesian, Doctor Pease began 
immediately to translate the New Testament and revise the Gospels 
and Acts already in the native tongue. As the result of his untiring 
labors his translation of the New Testament and the Psalms has been 
in use for several years. He also compiled a dictionary of the lan- 
guage and some educational books and added many songs to the hymn 
and tune book already in the .Marshall Island dialect. 

While in the islands two children were born to Doctor and .Mrs. 
Pease: Ldmund Morris, Jr., who is a graduate of Pomona College 
and also of Harvard Medical College and is now a physician at the 
Boston State Hospital, .Mattapan. .Mass. He married Miss Clara 
Luscombe of New Bedford, Mass., and has a daughter, Phyllis Lus- 
combe Pease. Francis Sturtevant Pease is a rancher and resides at 
Claremont. He married .Miss Anna Crawford Forbes of Montreal, 
Canada, and they ha\e one son, Fidmund Morris Pease III. In order 
to educate his sons. Doctor Peace came with his family in 1894 to the 
United States. After spending several months in the East, he 
located near Pomona College, in Claremont. Cal., where he lived until 
his death. 

During his residence in Claremont, Doctor Pease identified him- 
self with all the best interests of the town, aiding in every way the 
upbuilding of the college, community and church. He was a Mason 



454 lUSTom' AXn IIIOC.RAI'IIV 

and was also idcntiticd with the Grarnl Army of the Republic. 
Although tar from the scene ol his missionary labors. Doctor Pease 
spent the last tweKe years of his lile translating tiie Old Testament 
into the Marsliall Island language. It was his desire that the entire 
Bible should be in the hands of the nati\cs, and this wish of his heart 
would ha\e been lultilled had he been sparetl for an additional se\en 
months of labor. So now the whole Bible, except the minor prophets, 
is in the hands of the Marshall Islanders. At the age of seventy- 
eiglit, while still vigorous in miml and iiody, Doctor Pease was seized 
with the sudden illness which caused his death. On November 28, 
1906, he passed away at his home in Claremont. A man of heroic 
mold, fearless and devoted to God's service. Doctor Pease ranks as 
one of the great men of the misisonary world. 

Since the death of her husbantl, Mrs. Pease has continued to 
reside at the old home on Columbia Avenue, Claremont, where she 
directs the affairs left by her husband and also takes a very active part 
in civic and religious matters. She is held in high esteem by the 
residents of Claremont, for her kindness of heart and many charities. 



LKE R. MATTHEWS 

Among the men most closely itientified with the development of 
Pomona into its present ranking with other cities of the gro\\ing state, 
Lee R. Matthews holds a prominent place as a civic M'orker and a 
factor for progress along lines which are far reaching and lead to even 
greater results than show at this day and age. A pioneer here since 
the beginning of things, in 1889, he has been in the \anguard with 
those who ha\e faithfully worketi for the advancement of the common 
good; anil with such men at the helm, the city could not fail to reach 
its present growth, e\-en in this comparati\ely short time. 

A nati\e of Illinois, Mr. Matthews was born on a farm in 
Tazewell County, August 5, 1870, a son of Levi and Marie (Sill) 
Matthews. The parents mo\ed to Colorado in 1882, and li\-ed there, 
retired, for some years. Of the seven children born to them, Lee R. 
was the only boy, and received his eilucation in the common and high 
schools of Illinois and Coloratlo. In the fall of 1889 he came to 
Pomona, and after his arrival he worketl at various occupations for 
a time. The following year his father followed him to this \'alley, 
bought land and settletl in the Kingsley Tract and engaged in oi-ange 
growing. Lee R., in the meantime, engaged in raising alfalfa on land 
he bought south of town. Both of his parents are now deceased. 

P'ourteen years ago Lee R. Matthews establisheil his place of 
business, the Opera (iarage, and since that time he has centered his 
business interests in the building up of a first-class motor car agency, 
handling various makes of motor cars, and now he has the agency 



iiis'n )\<y AND r.ii »c.K.\i'in' 453 

for the Chalmers cars. I le occupies a double ^ara^e Iniikiiii^ dm South 
Thonias Street, near Ihinl. to care Iok his increasirifr business, ami 
with tit'teen men in his employ he is enabled to j^ive the expert service 
demanded today by motorists; and his policy of keepinjr in toucii with 
the automobile world assures the most modern of appliances in his 
moiiern IniiKlinjj;. 

In addition to his business interests Mr. Matthews is an oranfje 
grower, his acreaji;e comprisinji; u;ro\es in La \'erne, Rialto ami the 
Kinjrsley Tract, besiiles other interests. Ilis civic duties ha\e been 
cheerfully and conscientiously performed tor the betterment of his 
home community: he served on the city coimcil for several years, anil 
when the new charter was proposed for Pomona, he helped draft that 
important instrument and was the lirst mayor under its rulinjr. Durinji; 
his terms in civic offices many needeti improvements were made in the 
city's streets, walks anti sewers, and along educational lines; in fact, all 
lines which meant the further progress of the V'alley as a whole. 

The marriage of Mr. .Matthews, which occurred September 7, 
1914, united him with Miss Jessie Ray Smyth, who is prominent in 
the Mbell Club in Pomona. Mr. Matthews is a Scottish Rite Mason 
and a Shriner, also is a member of the KIks and of the Otid Fellows. 
Associateii with him in business is Wayne D. Matthews, his son by 
a former marriage. Representative of the community in which they 
make their home ami pursue their life interests, both Mr. and Mrs. 
Matthews have for their aim the further upbuilding of the community. 



DI'WIS I.. Pl-RSO\S 

One ot the pioneer walnut and orange growers of the walnut 
district in the \'alley. Dennis L. Persons helped materially in the devel- 
opment of both industries, and reached success through his progressive 
spirit and expert knowledge along these lines. A native of Wisconsin, 
when a young man he removed to Missouri, and later went to Butte, 
Mont., where he was with the J. W. McQuene Draying Company, 
teaming to the mines, later engaging in the furniture business in Butte. 

In 1894 Mr. Persons came to California ami settled in the 
Pomona \'alley. He first bought ten acres at Walnut, and from time 
to time added to his property until he had forty acres planted to 
walnuts and oranges. He also bought and sold other groves in the 
district, and set out many trees in the \'alley, ilevoting his time to a 
study of the industry and becoming expert in a line of work totally 
foreign to his early training, which speaks much for the character of 
the man, and his ailaptabdity to his environment. He received large 
returns trom his ranch properties and was one of the successful walnut 
ami orange men of the Walnut district, one of the developers o( land 
and a man highly respccteii for his sterling qualities. Fraternally, Mr. 



A50 IIIS'I'ORV AXD P.IOGRAPIIY 

Persons was a member of the Pomona Lodge of Masons and of the 
Woodmen of the World. HLs death occurred Sepitember 28, 1908. 

The marriage of Mr. Persons, occurring in Pomona in 1900, 
united him with Sadie G. Hummel of Missouri, who came to Walnut in 
1894, and taught school there for four years, having fifty Spanish 
pupils at one time. One daughter blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. 
Persons, Stella, who died at seven years of age. Mrs. Persons owns 
twenty-<jne acres in the Walnut district, one of the best walnut gro\es 
in this section and a fine producer. 



ADDISON W. RICHARDS 

Pomona Valley is in the front van in the march of progress, due 
to the fact that people coming to Southern California to establish 
homes are attracted to it by its beauty of situation, salubrious climate 
and fertile soil. Appreciating the fact that real estate is the founda- 
tion of wealth in the country and the medium through which the largest 
fortunes have been made, men of brains anci energy have engaged 
extensively in this line of industry. 

Addison W. Richards, real-estate dealer at Claremont, is a rep- 
resentative man of this class in the community. He was born June 
28, 1856, in Watertown, Washington County, Ohio. His father, 
Thomas E., was born in Glamorganshire, Wales; coming to the United 
States, he located near Marietta, the oldest city in Ohio, engaging in 
the mercantile business until he removed to Zanesville, where he was 
also a merchant until his death. He was grand dictator of the Cirand 
Lodge of the Knights of Honor in Ohio. 

Addison W., after graduating from Bearly Academy, engaged in 
merchandising with his father under the firm name of T. E. Richards 
& Son, wholesale queensware and wall-paper dealers, in Zanesville, 
Ohio, spending four months of each year traveling ir« Ohio, West Vir- 
ginia and Kentucky as salesman for Janeway & Carji^inter, large wall- 
paper manufacturers, continuing over a period of twenty-three years. 

Among the Eastern tourists who came to California in 1904, he 
arri\ed in Pomona March 13 of that year. He purchased and im- 
pro\ed a thirty-acre orange grove on Fifth Street, and was one of the 
founders of the Sanitary Laundry at Pomona, which he managed for 
a year and a half. 

In 1908 he located at Claremont, where he has dealt extensively 
in real estate, his slogan and traile-mark being "The Orange Grove 
Man." He has proved his faith in the citrus industry by owning 
eighteen orange and lemon groves in the Valley over a period of fifteen 
years, and his sales in 1912 came close to a million dollars. He has 
exchanged Los Angeles property, flats and apartment houses, and also 



lIISTc )RV WD r.inCR \|Mn' -137 

property in Northern California, tor N'alley property. lie has liveil 
to see oranjfe groves sell troni Si, (Hid to $6,<J0U an acre, sales in which 
he has taken an active part. 

Mr. Richards niarrietl Lulu Hagley, a native of Zanessille, Ohio, 
ami they are the parents of four children, namely: Mabel, Mrs. C. A. 
C. \\'illiams of Los Angeles; llayuard T., associateii with his father; 
Louise, attending Pomona College; and Addison, jr., now in Clarc- 
mont High. Mr. Richanis is ex-president of the Claremont Chamber 
ot Commerce. Fraternally, he was made a .NLison ot Amity Lodge 
in Zanesville in 1877 and is a charter member of Claremont Lodge, 
F. & A. M. ; he is also a member of Modern Woodmen o( America. 
In his religious convictions he is a member of the Congregational 
Church. Well-to-do, prosperous and progressive, he has built up a 
reputation for honest and fair dealing in his business and is well known 
in real-estate circles all o\er Southern California. 



HENRY I'RLSLLY RKYNoLDS, B. S. 

The educational facilities of Pomona are unsurpassed, ami in 
Prof. Henry P. Reynolds, the efficient principal of the Pomona High 
School, the city has a man of whom she may well be proud. Professor 
Reynolds was born in Titus County, Fexas, September 2(1, 1869. He 
was reared on the farm, received his education in the public schools and 
after a two years' course at the Denton Normal School, now known 
as the North Texas Manual School, took a c<Hirse at the L tii\crsity 
of Texas at Austin, graduating from that institution in 1901 with the 
degree of Bachelor of Science. He supplemented this with a graduate 
course at the University of Chicago. As a young man he taught his 
first school at the age of seventeen, and in this way he made his way 
through college. Before graduation he taught school one vear at 
El Paso, Texas, teaching science anti mathematics. He was then 
elected principal of the El Paso High School. After this he became 
associated with the American Book Company in Texas, traveling in 
that state for a school year. September 1, 1905, he came to Ontario, 
Cal., and taught the branch of science and was vice-principal in the 
Ontario High School, now Chaffev Union High School. In the fall 
of 1908 he was called to Pomona High School to take the position of 
vice-principal, and after one year became principal of the school, the 
position he now holds. His inauguration as principal marked an epoch 
in the educational life of the school. He has made a wonderful success 
since accepting the position. When he first took charge of the school 
there were two hundred seventy-tive students enrolled. There are now 
eight hundred fifty students enrolleil, and the school has ailvanced 
educationally along all lines. 

Professor Reynolds was united in marriage with Hilda I". 
Gustatson, a native of Sweden. Her father, who was an officer in the 



458 111STC)R^■ AM) lUOCRAIM fV 

Swedish Army, died in Texas. Se\-en children ha\'e been born of their 
union: Pearl I',., Howard A., Lillian A., F.lsie P., Ruth E., Lloyd 
H. and Esther A. The family li\'e on the nine-acre orange grove that 
Professor Reynolds owns on Washington Avenue, a place he has 
owned for eight years, and is one of the finest orchards in the district. 
Mr. ReynoKls was elected one of the eleven directors of the new 
Y. M. C. A. recently formed at Pomona and for which a beautiful 
new building is in process of erection. In his religious associations he 
is a member of the First Baptist Church at Pomona, and fraternally 
is affiliated with the Woodmen of the World and Pomona Lodge 
No. 246, F. & A. M.; Pomona Chapter No. 76, R. A. M.; Pomona 
Council, R. & S. NL, and of Pomona Lodge No. 1(17, Knights of 
Pvthias. 



JOHN TINLEY BROOKS 

A distinguished representati\e of the great state ot Iowa, where 
he was born on the Brooks farm in Keokuk County, on October 17, 
1850, John Tinley Brooks, \ice-president of the P'irst National Bank 
of Claremont, has attained dcser\-ed prominence as a conser\-ati\-e!v 
aggressi\'e financier of the Southland, intensely interested in ami will- 
ing and anxious to promote the real progress of the commonwealth. 
His father was John G. Brooks, who had married Miss Mary Kyger, 
and they were nati\es of Ohio. Fhey mo\ed from Butler County, 
Ohio, in 1842, to Iowa, and took up from the CJo\ernment some laniF 
It was there that the subject of this sketch was born and reared. 

He attended the common schools of Iowa of his day, ami later 
was graduated from the Iowa Wesleyan College at Mt. Pleasant, in 
1875, with the degree of M. S. Soon after graduation, he was admi*-- 
ted to the bar of Iowa, and at Slgourney he began the practice of law 
in partnership with Maj. John A. Donnell, who afterwards became a 
prominent lawyer and was district attorney in Los Angeles. After 
five years of acti\'e anil successful practice in law, however, Mr. Brooks 
took up banking in 1881, and since that date he has been ielentlfied 
with that important field. 

He commenced as cashier of the L nion Bank of Sigourney, Iowa, 
— his home town — and afterwards, either as cashier or president, was 
the acti\'e manager and head of the following banking houses: the 
Bank of Hedrick, Hedrick State Savings Bank, First National Bank 
of Hedrick, and the Claremont National Bank, of Claremont. I'Or a 
time, also, he served as a director and chairman of the loan and exam- 
ining committee of a fourth bank in Hedrick, the Hedrick State Bank. 
He was acti\e in organizing and building up the Iowa State Bankers 
Association — one of the strongest associations of bankers in the Linited 
States — and his fellow-bankers elected him a member of the managing 



IIIST< )RV AXD i;i< HiK.\i'll\ 4<.l 

board dI the .Issociatioii lor elc\cn succcssi\c terms. In 19(15 he wa-; 
elected treasurer of the Association, in 1906 \ice-president, and in 
1908 president. Coming to California, .Mr. Brooks became president 
of the Claremont National IJank, a position he tilled untd the bank 
was consolidateil with tiie lirst National Bank, since which time he 
has been \ice-president ot the latter institution. In the ye.lr ISSl, 
in partnership with his life-long friend and business associate, \V. II. 
Young, he laid out the now beautiful and thriving city of I Icilrick, 
Iowa, which they named in honor of Gen. |. .M. Heiirick. 

The civic and political careers of .Mr. Brooks are more than 
ordinarily interesting. He was lirst lieutenant of the college com- 
pany of Iowa State Cniards, ami was mayor of I ledrick for ten suc- 
cessive terms. He was a member of the State Senate tluring the twen- 
ty-ninth, thirtieth and thirly-tirst sessions of the Iowa State Legislature 
and in his lirst session servetl as chairman of the Senate Committee on 
State Buildings ami (irounds; while in the two following sessions he 
was chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture — the fourth 
ranking committee in the legislature. Always a Republican and a 
progressixe, Mr. Brooks has been an advocate of Prohibition, al- 
though never a member ol the so-called Progressive or Prohibitionist 
political parties. 

At Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, on .May 21, 1879, .Mr. Brooks was 
married to .Miss Lucy L. White, daughter of the Ke\-. James II. and 
Emcline White, and bv her he has had four children: .Marv, who 
is married to Raleigh Wilson of Strathmore; Florence, Alice and John 
White. Mr. Brooks was brought up in the Methodist Church and 
was a member of the board of trustees of the Hedrick, Iowa, charge, 
from the date of its organization, in the early eighties, to the present 
year. For a number of years he was one of the trustees of the .Meth- 
odist College at .Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. He was made a .Mason in 
Garfield Lodge No. 485, Hedrick, and is a past master. He is also 
a member of Ottumwa Comnianilery No. 31 at Ottumwa, Iowa, ami 
Kaaba Temple, A. A. O. N. .M. S., at Davenport, Iowa. 



MRS. .MVRA .\1V1;RS 

No praise is too high for the woman who has accomplished so 
great a degree of material success from such small beginnings, aiul 
who at the same time has devoted much time and eftOrt to the higher 
things of life, and in kindness to little children. .Mrs. .Myra Myers, 
proprietor of the Willow Street Dairy, in Pomona, is a native of 
Black Hawk County, Iowa; she was raised on a farm in the Fastern 
state, and was one of the early pioneers of Pomona \'allev, coming 
here in 1888. 

In 1892 Mrs. Mvers purchased four acres on .Aiameila Avenue, 
corner of Willow, and started a dairy with one cow, given her for a 



4r.2 iiis'i"( )R^■ Axi) r.ioc.kAi'iiv 

birtliday present. This small nucleus for a dairy was increased until 
at one time she was milking eijjjhty-eight cows, and at present maintains 
a dairy of thirty-two cows, all full-blooded' Jersey stock. The milk 
and cream from the dairy is sold in Pomona, delivery being made with 
auto truck and milk wagons. Mrs. Myers is rated as one of the best 
judges of dairy cows in the Valley and gets good results from Jersey 
cows in particular. She has her dairy cows tested every three months 
for tuberculosis, the only dairy in the \'alley to test that often, and 
in 1916 had the highest test of any dairy in the Valley, 81.65 per cent. 
Her cow barns are modern and sanitary and e\ery precaution taken 
to keep them that way and maintain a high standard of output. 

In addition to the dairy, the ranch Is greatly impro\-ed and beauti- 
fied; all \-arieties of fruit trees ha\'e been planted, oranges, peaches, 
gua\-as, a\ocados and walnuts; and a beautiful Hower garden, with 21)0 
different \arieties of roses. Poland-China aiul Berkshire hogs, chick- 
ens anil rabbits are raised, and in addition to the useful animals a fine 
lot of canaries add to the cheerfulness of the place, with their wealth 
of song antl coloring. 

Mrs. Myers is a widow, her husband having died many years 
ago, and she has one son, Charles A., who married Miss Nellie 
Thomas of San Dimas and is the father of three children. He owns 
a fine dairy in the Ontario district. 

Very foncl of children, and with pitv in her heart for those who 
have no home, Mrs. Myers has taken many orphans to raise, twenty- 
two all told, and has had as many as eight at the ranch at one time; 
some of the older ones helping her in the ranch work and thus gaining 
a practical knowledge which will be of use to them in later life. She 
has educated some of them and given them music lessons. (_)f an 
artistic nature, as well as a successful business woman, Mrs. Mvers 
has a fine collection oi china painting, which work she has done In her 
leisure time. Her home Is full of many interesting curios and objects 
of art. In fraternal circles she is a member of the Maccabees, and In 
religious duties she attends the Trinity Methodist Church. 



CHARLES EDWARD SUMNER 

An Intellectual old-timer of Pomona who is now living in happy 
retirement In Los Angeles, is Charles Edward Sumner, a gentleman 
fortunate in pleasant and Interesting recollections. He was born at 
Moncton, N. B., on March 4, 1860, the son of William H. T. and 
Elizabeth Charlotte (Thompson) Suinner. His father was born at 
Lubec, Maine, where his ancestors dated back before the Re\'olutIon- 
ary War. His business took him to Canada, where the younger 
members of his family were born. There were six children born 
to this couple, three of whom are still living. The father died at 
Moncton at the age of eighty-eight years and the widow, now ninetv- 
four, is still living there. 



IIlSTc )\<y AND i;i( K'.KAI'in' 4<..5 

Flic tiiurth child in order of liirtli, Charles I'.ilward S.imncr 
attcmlcd the coniiiion schools ol Canatla, where he received a thorouj^ii 
training in the elementary branches; then he stiulieil law in Shediac. 
X. B., ami then took a law course at the Boston l'ni\ersitv. where he 
graduateil with the class of '81 and recei\e(.l his degree ot I.. I,. B. 
Cum Laudif. insteati of beginning his career in the I'.ast, on account 
of unsatisfactory contlition of his health, he a\aited himself ot an 
opportunity to travel and went to MnglantI, later coming to California 
to visit an uncle at Kernville, Kern County. So satisfactory did he 
find conditions in this state that he fell in love with it and then tiecided 
to make it his home. 

.Mr. Sumner spent a short time in I.os Angeles; and while thLre 
he fount.1 he coulil not staml the coast climate, and journeyed inlantl to 
Pomona, where he found a dryer condition more to his liking. He 
met J. A. Graves, now vice-president of the Farmers & Merchants 
Bank of Los Angeles, and upon his motion he was admitted to practice 
in the Supreme Court. At that time, in 1882, Pomona was a town 
of about 500 inhabitants and the principal industry was the saloon 
(there were fourteen). The young attorney entered into the spirit 
of the West and allied himself with the forces for law and order, and 
soon became city attorney, serving for two years, during which time 
he proved one of whiskey's heartiest opponents. He spent most of his 
two years fighting the saloons, although his salary as city attorney was 
only thirty-five dollars per month, and closed every saloon, and every 
case prosecuted resulted in a final conviction. 

On January 21, 1888, in the old Meserve homestead — an old 
adobe — in Pomona, occurred the marriage of C. K. Sumner and Miss 
Elizabeth Meserve. She is a native daughter, born in Santa Cru/ 
into the family of Alvin Rand and Flizabeth (Ilolser) Meserve, 
natives of Maine and Missouri, respectively, atui pioneers of the 
Pomona \'alley. Mr. and .Mrs. Sumner were members of the First 
Methodist Ilpiscopal Church in I'omona. Their domestic life has been 
gladdened by the birth of two children — William Alvin, an attorney 
of Los Angeles who saw hazardous service with the aeroplane s(]uail- 
rons of the L'niteil States Army in I'rancc during the World War; and 
a daughter. Miss Jeanne J'lsther, active in philanthropic work in 
Southern California. 

When Pomona was incorporatetl Mr. Sumner, in conjunction with 
P. C . fonner and John IL Lee, drew up the incorporation papers; 
with Mr. Lee he also published the first daily newspaper in the town — 
Tlir Daily Tiiius — laiir known as 'the Tivics-C.nur'hr. In ISO I. 
with four associates. Mr. Sumner erected the Union Block, a brick 
structure at the corner of Thomas and Second streets, at that tim.- one 
of the pretentious buildings in Pomona. While residing in the city 
Mr. Sumner went in for firange and lemon culture, and set out grf)vcs 
in North Ontario, now Uplands, and these groves he cared for and 



464 IIISTORN' AND I'.loGRAlMTY 

owneii tor more than twenty years, when he sold them. He was one 
of the original members of the North Ontario I'riiit Growers F.x- 
change, afterwards merged into the (). K. Kxchange. 

In 1900 Mr. Sumner removed to Los Angeles, where he practiced 
successfully for just a decade, when he retired. He is a Republican 
in matters of national politics, but broad minded enough to work first, 
last and all the time behind any good movement for better citizenship. 
He enjoys the fellowship of the University Club of Los Angeles. 



JAMLS HUME 

A well-known figure in Pomona \'allev and popular with all who 
knew him, James Hume was fortunate in ha\ing the blood of one of 
the finest nations in the world in his \eins — Canada, who since her 
valiant part in the World War has come into her own and now stands 
in the very first ranks for all the attributes which make for greatness, 
both in the individual and in the nation; strength, \alor, and the under- 
lying principle of "hewing to the right," which is the kernel of their 
strength. Born in Ontario, July 8, 1851, he was raised on the farm 
there and educated in the country and town schools. Later he fol- 
lowed the implement business at Milton, Ontario, and also traveled 
on the road selling farm implements. 

In 1896, Mr. Hume came to Pomona and first bought fifteen 
acres of land in the southeast part of town, near the cemetery. Here 
he followed stock raising and raised alfalfa, berries, fruit and 
vegetables. In 1907, he sold out and bought 320 acres in Tulare 
County. This land was a lake bed and under water. In 1912 the 
water was drained off and the land became very valuable and pro- 
ductive. Mr. LIume later rented it for a grain farm and it is still in 
the possession of the famih'. 

In his early operations in Pomona, Mr. Hume met with some 
financial reverses, but he was a man to persevere, and finally won out 
and left a comfortable estate. He started afresh, in 1905, with a 
capita! of but $200, and with the assistance of his wife, who helped 
him in every possible way, in encouragement and in a thrifty saving 
of his income, he amassed a competency from that small beginning. 
He farmed 200 acres of rented land back of Cianesha Park to grain, 
kaffir corn and barley, ami also ran a small dairy at his home place, 
161 San Francisco Street. 

In 1909, Mr. Hume was 'united in marriage with Mrs. Lottie 
Hill, a willow, who was born in New ^ ork, but was reared and lived 
all of her former married life in Canada. She had one daughter by 
her former marriage. Lulu Irene Hill, who married George Friend 
of Ontario, now serving in the L'nited States Army in France. She 
hail always been the same as Mr. Hiune's own daughter, raised by 





^Q>^'i:^>C^ 



.^^ 



Z^-C-Z--^--^^ 



HISTORY' AND llloC.RAI'in' 4<.7 

him from a child, and was very fond of her father, as he was of her; 
in later years she was of great assistance to him in looking after his 
business affairs. A birthday party was given .Mr. Hume by his wif.- 
and daughter on .April I. 1916. to celebrate his sixty-fifth birthday, 
with all his children in attendance. A man ol exceedingly cheerful 
disposition, always a kind and loving husband and father, Mr. Hume 
was \ery popular in both his nati\e Canada, and in Pomona. I le 
served in the city council for years in Canada, and assisted in further- 
ing to the best of his ability, the upbuilding of his home city and sur- 
roundings. He was a Mason of gooil standing in Canada, but did 
not affiliate with that body in Pomona. In religious duties he was 
raised in the Presbyterian Church. 

Twice married, by his first union Mr. Hume was the father of 
four sons: George, a banker of Oxnard, Cal.: Thomas, of \'isalia; 
Lloyil, formerly a druggist of \\'oodland, now with the United States 
Army in France; and Clarence, a rancher of Pomona. The passing 
of this loyal citizen, April 1. 1919, was sincerely mourned by his 
devoted family, and by his hosts of friends in the N'alley; his widow, 
in the midst of her sorrow, can comfort herself with the knowledge 
that she had done her part nobly, proven a real helpmate and com- 
panion. A woman of splendid character, she is a member of Trinity 
Methodist Church and of the John Wesley Bible Class. 



.NKJNKOl. rilL K.MAN 

The descendant of pioneer forbears who came to California in 
the early fifties, Monroe Thurman is himself a native of the Golden 
State and a pioneer of Pomona. He has seen the settlement grow 
from an inland country \illage to a prosperous city, the center of other 
flourishing communities, ami has aiilcd in the de\ elopment wf)rk which 
hasjnade the present-day prosperity possible. Bf)rn in Saxannah, Cal., 
September 20, 1871, .Mr. Thurman is a son of Reason and Dora 
(Fuqua) Thurman, a pioneer couple who crossed the plains in 1852 
with ox teams and took up a homestead at Savannah, which they 
farmed. They lived at that place for a period of forty years, at the 
end of that time coming to Pomona, and here the father died, in 1915; 
the mother is still living, one of that band of noble, self-sacrificing 
women who by their early labors ha\e made the state a future haven 
for their children. 

The second of nine children born to his parents, Monroe Thur- 
man received his education in the public schools of Savannah and of 
Del .Monte and Pomona, where he attended high school. After his 
school days were over he began helping his father on the home farm, 
ami thus gained the knowledge which has made for his success in later 



468 TIIS'l'OR^' A\l) lUOGRAl'IIV 

life. The family moved to Pomona in 1886, making them "old- 
timers" in the community, and in all its upbuilding projects their share 
was cheerfully borne. 

In taking up ranching for himself, Mr. Tiiurman has followed 
the business for wiiich his early training adapted him, and he has met 
with unusual success, now cultivating 1,00(1 acres ol leased land and 
realizing large returns for his knowledge of ranching. I laving 
grown up with the state, he knows his environment and plans his 
work accordingly. 

The marriage of Mr. Thurman, which occurred December 22, 
1893, at Pomona, united him with Miss Mary De Brunner, a native 
of Kansas, and daughter of a pioneer grocer of Pomona who settled 
here in 1883; he has since passed to his reward, but her mother is still 
living. One child has blesed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Thurman, a 
daughter. Myrtle. F'ond of hunting, Mr. Thurman takes his recrea- 
tion in that sport, and he also takes an active interest in the politics 
of his district, supporting the Democratic party. In fraternal orders 
he is a member of the Elks of Pomona, and of the Knights of Pythias, 
and stands ready at all times to back his belief in the possibilities of 
his community in a substantial manner, working always for the further 
development of this beautiful "Valley of the West." 



JOHN GOETTSCHE 

The constant march of progress in Pomona brings to her environs 
business men, tradesmen and workmen of the highest standard. In 
John Goettschc, a nati\'e of Germany, born in that country October 31, 
1860, Pomona possesses a workman in the line of cabinet making that 
she may well be proud of. 

Mr. Goettsche learned his trade in the old coimtry and it is super- 
fluous to say that he is thorough and has an unsurpassed reputation for 
the excellency of his work. He is a self-made man, and came to the 
United States in the spring of 1883, when twenty-two years old, alone 
in the world, with his way to make in a strange land and in unfamiliar 
surroundings. He located in St. Paul, where he worked at his trade 
anci attended night school to learn to speak the English language. He 
afterwards followed his trade in Des Moines. Io\ya, for two years be- 
fore he came to Los Angeles, Cal., in January, 1887. He worked at 
his trade in Los Angeles, and in 1888 went to San Francisco and con- 
tinued the business of cabinet maker until 1892, working on the interior 
iinishings of many homes of the wealthy residents in that city while 
there. In 1892 he returned to Los Angeles and followed his trade 
there until 1901, the year that he came to Pomona, where he has since 
worked and resided. 

It was in Pomona that he first engaged in business for himself. 
He erected a small shop at the corner of Second Street and Garey Ave- 



lIIST()k^ 471 

nuc and 

cases, ett. _ , , -' 

streets, built a shop and sold it in 1906, and that fall he erected his 

present shop at 440 South Locust Street. He has n 

shelves for the public library, and the interior sittings ; 

stores on Second Street. He did interior work on the First National 

Bank at Claremont and in many of the homes in the city, as well as in 

the Wells Fargo F^xpress offices in Santa Ana and Pomona. His work 

is of the highest character, is built on honor, and he has never had to 

solicit an order since he has been in business in Pomona. 

In 1691, at San Francisco, he married Katherine Mueller, a native 
of Germany, and they are the parents of tAvo children. Henrv, of Po- 
mona, and Bertha, who attended the Pomona College at Claremont 
and is now teaching school in Roseville, Placer Countv. Cal. 



D.WID \V. CLRRY 

An early settler of Pomona \'allcy, and a pioneer of Kansas 
before coming to the western countrv, David \V. C 
family with a long and honorable military record. , 
name have ser\ed in every war of our country. Mr. Currv was born 
in Madison County, Ohio, July 22. 1S.3S, his father. Captain James 
Addison Curry, served in the war of 1812. and his grandfather, also 
named James Curry, was a colonel in the Revolutionary War. Raised 
on the home farm in Jerome Township. .Madison Countv. Ohio, and 
attending the country schools, young Da\id enlisted in turn for ser- 
vice in his country's behalf. He joined the One Hundred Twcntv- 
tirst Ohio \'olunteer Infantry Regiment, and his war record of three 
years' duration received honorable mention. Part of the time, on 
account of sickness, he was a member of Company C, Ijghth Regi- 
ment Veteran Reserve Corps. He had the honor to be one of the 
iruards at the tuneral of Abraham Lincoln. 

At the close of the war Mr. Curry returned to Ohio, and there 
on September 18, 1871. married Agnes R. Chapman, a native Ohioan 
and granddaughter of Abner Chapman, who settled in that state when 
it was a wilderness and the nearest trading post was seventy- miles 
away, and there were no roads nor \ehicles, all supplies being carried 
on horseback and in saddle bags. Soon after their marriage .Mr. and 
.Mrs. Curry removed to Great Bend, Barton County, Kans., and 
pioneered there during the time of the buffalo and Indian in that 
section; a wild, unsettled country, the young couple established their 
home there the year after the Santa Fe Railroad came through, and 
set about carving a habitat for themselves in the wilderness. .Mr. 
Curry took up a go\ernment claim of 160 acres and bought another 
quarter section, broke the raw land and cultivated its acreage until 



472 HISTORY A\l) I'.K )C.k AIM l^■ 

coming to California, in 1888. He helped organize the first puhlic 
school in their district, and ser\-ed as township assessor. 

After his arri\ai in this state, he first bought twenty acres of 
land near Norwalk, Los Angeles County, and ran a dairy and chicken 
ranch. In 1902, he came to Pomona and bought a home on luist 
Holt Avenue, and also invested in an orange grove; the later years 
of his life he lived retired, and his death occurred October 9, 1914. 
He was a member of Dan Bidwell Post, Cj. A. R. of Norwalk, and 
highly esteemed in the Pomona \^alley for his fine traits of chai-acter 
and public spirit. 

Five children blessed the union (;f iMr. and Mrs. Cun^y, all born 
in Kansas; Gwin, one of the successful orange growers of Southern 
California; Daisy, Mrs. L. S. Kittridge of Seattle; Mrs. Abbie Rvan- 
Jones of Pomona; Mrs. Itltha Bidwell of Sacramento; and Phoebe 
May, a graduate of Pomona College and now a teacher in the public 
schools at Richmond, Cal. Mrs. Curry has six grandchildren to 
brighten her life. 



ALBERT KDWARD TATE 

I () ha\e weathered a life of \aried experiences and to choose the 
peaceful orange groves of Pomona Valley as a reward, is the biog- 
raphy of Albert Edward Tate. He was born in \'ictoria, Australia, a 
son of John and \Iary (Ryan) Tate, the father a newspaper man of 
note in the early days of that country's de\elopment, one of the first 
writers on the Melbourne .1 iislraldsiiiii and the Tarrengower Times. 
Both parents are now cieceased. 

Albert Edward Tate receixed his education in the common 
schools of his native country, and in the school of experience, being 
compelled to lea\e school at the early age of thii'teen. His first busi- 
ness experience was in Broken Hill, Australia, and he met with con- 
siderable success for fi\-e years, only to suffer the entire loss of his 
buildings bv tire. At the age of thirty-four years he left his native 
lancf ami came to California, first stopping in San Francisco for six 
iiKjnths, and then continued to Southern California. He was with 
C. C. Desmond in Los Angeles for a vear and a half, then, on March 
15, 19lj5, came to Pomona, and here took charge of Crawford and 
Moles' Department Store, now the Orange Belt Emporium, a corpora- 
tion, as president and general manager, remaining in that capacity 
until November S, 1918, when he sold out his interests to the 
stockholders and retii-ed from business cares to glxe his time to 
orange growing. 

During his years in the business life of l^imona, Mr. Tate proved 
himself a man of worth to the community. I-"or six years he was presi- 
dent of the Business Men's Association, and he is a charter member 
of the Chamber of Commerce. A man of self-sacrificing public spirit, 



nisT()R\' AM) r,i( H.KAi'm 47.^ 

he has been active in promoting ami aiding manv movements for the 
ad\ancement ot Pomona and her tributaries, ;uid is highly respected 
in the community, both as one of its most successful merchants and as 
a worker for civic betterment. He has served as chairman for all the 
Liberty Loan drixes, antl Pomona's record for "going over the top" 
at the very beginning of each drive is largely due to such men as 
Mr. Tate: working in conjunctir)n with the whole-hearted patriotism 
of the \ alley, they have set a record for future generations, and one 
to go down in history as a matter of pride for all concerned. Fond 
of outdoor life, .\[r. Tate's present business, that of orange growing, 
is in the form of a recreation, and his former business experience serves 
to make it profitable as well as enjoyable. In politics he supports the 
Republican partv. 

The marriage of .Mr. Tate, on .\pril IS, 1911, united him with 
Miss Amelia Mescher, a native of Illinois, and three sons have been 
born to them, John, lames anil Llmer. 



SCO IT FHI.M.MIIR 

A worthy representative of western energy and progress was 
to be found in the late Scott Trimmer during his lifetime. He was 
a man of excellent business ability and thrift, ami his mcmorv is 
treasured in the hearts of his manv friends. 

A native of Illinois, where he was born, near Hudson, in .McLean 
County, June 1.^. 1847, his demise occurred at La \'erne, Cal., Octo- 
ber 11. 1916. He was born and reared on an Illinois farm, and in his 
manhood was successfully engaged for thirty-two years in the occupa- 
tion of farming in the county of his birth. He greatly improved his 
two-hundred-acre grain farm, underlaid it with tiling for drainage, and 
engaged in the profitable occupation of raising corn, horses, cattle and 
hogs. A prominent man in his section of country, he was school trustee 
and actively associated with the Church of the Brethren. He came to 
California for his health, arriving at La \'crne, December 24. 1906, 
and his life was unquestionably prolonged by the benefit derived from 
the salubrious climate of Southern California. He made large invest- 
ments in the residence section of La \'ernc and purchased the entire 
block running from Third to Fourth and F and G Streets, which at 
that time was a grain field. He sold oft the south half of the propertv' 
and subdivided the remainder, selling it off for home lots. This site 
is now occupied by fine homes and is the best residence section of 
La \'erne. .Mr. Trimmer also ownetl valuable lots in different parts 
of the town. He was a stockholder in the State Bank at I'omona. and 
was active in the Church of the Brethren at La \'erne. of which he 
was a member. 

.Mr. I rimmer's marriage united him with .Miss Catherine I'orney, 
a native of Somerset County, Pa., the ceremony being performed in 



474 IIIS'I'ORV AXl) I'.I(J(;RAIMTY 

McLean County, 111., November 20, 1873. She is a tlauj^hter of 
Alichael and Rachael (Horner) Forney, who came to Richland County, 
111., in 1856, where the mother died. J'he father spent his last days 
in Carlisle, Nebr. Mrs. Trimmer was educatetl in the public schools, 
and, having a sister residing in McLean County, she went thither in 
1870, where she made the acquaintance of Mr. Trimmer, which re- 
sulted in their marriage. The adopted son of Mr. and Mrs. Trimmer, 
Enos F. Trimmer, resides on a forty-acre alfalfa ranch southeast of 
Pomona, which is jointly owned by mother anil son. He is married 
to Clara \ andruft, and they ha\'e two children, Arthur and Russell. 

Mrs. Scott Trimmer is especially liberal in her support of the 
\arious bene\'olent imdcrtakings of the church of which she is a mem- 
ber and in which she is an active worker, whose ad\'ancement lies e\-er 
near her heart. She has recently completed a beautiful modern bunga- 
low at 316 East Fourth Street, where she resides, and those who are 
pri\-ileged to be entertained in her home appreciate the honor and the 
courteous friendliness of their hostess, who presides o\er the home 
with gracious dignity and hospitality, and whose interest in and loyalty 
to La \"erne is quite as pronounced as was that of her late husband. 



HON. WILLL'VM A. VANDEGRIIT 

Imminent among those who have always stood foi- the best that 
Pomona could reasonably be expected to stri\e for, no matter what 
the cost might be in time, effort or wealth, the Hon. William A. \an- 
degrift carries well his honors as mayor of this famous interior town, 
each year forging ahead to its destiny as a leader among the most 
progressive cities of the (iolden State. He was born at Newcastle, 
Pa., on March 26, 1863, and first came West in the early nineties. 

His father was Aaron, and his mother Margaret (Patton) \"an- 
ciegrift, substantial farmer folks; and they lived and died in Pennsyl- 
\'ania. William was educated at the rural schools, and so grew up 
umler those faxoring conditions that ha\-e helped youth and manhood 
to de\elop in the Keystone State, bor a \\hile he was clerk in a 
grocery store, and then he became an apprentice to the glass-blowing 
trade, and workeil at that for twenty years. 

In 1892 he came west and locateil at Pomona; and seven years 
later he embarked in the wall-paper ami paint business, at which he 
continued until I'cbruary, 1913. Then he sold out, and about the same 
time, his neighbors ha\'ing discovered his sjiecial fitness for public 
office, he entered politics and assumed high ci\ic responsibility. 

He was elected mayor ot Pomona, ami is now serving his fourth 
term. L^nder his administration, the streets ha\e been paved, and for 
nine anil a half miles along the main arteries of traffic and thorough- 
fare an ornamental, practical lighting system has been installed. The 
(ireek Theater has been erected, as one ot the most creditable archi- 



HISTOKV A\l) i;|t )(".R Al'lh' All 

tciiiiral attractions ot the town, ami there has also been proxideil a 
municipal plunj^e. 1 le is a Democrat in national politics: Init, lirst and 
last — an American antl a I'omonan. 

At Miincie, Ind., <jn November l'>y 18S(S, Mr. N'andej^rilt was 
married to Miss Emma Meyers of Cleveland, Ohio. They ha\e had 
one daughter, Gertrude, who is now .Mrs. Milo Howen. Mr. N'ande- 
grift is decidedly a "home man," but he has also come to enjoy the 
attractions of fraternal society life. lie is a Mason, and belongs to 
the Lodge, Chapter ami Commandery. For twenty years he has been 
a Knight of Pvthias, ami for eleven years Deputy Cirand Master, at- 
taining all the chairs. lie also belongs to the I- raternal Brotherhood. 

Interested to a degree beyond that felt by the average citi/en in 
the past and the future of I'omona antl district. Mayor \'andcgrift 
is an active member of the Pomona Historical Society, and an advocate 
of the very sensible plan of collecting and preserving the annals of 
town and count\'. 



JOHN l\ BOWKN 

The biography of John F. Bowen tells of a life full of interest 
and also of steady business application. Born near CoIun)bus, Ohio, 
December 25, 1844, when a young lad of seventeen he enlisteil. in 
1861, in Company D, Ninety-fifth Ohio Infantry, for service in the 
Civil War, and served three years, seeing action in some of the prom- 
inent battles of that struggle for freedom. I le was finally taken 
prisoner and confined for four months in Andersonville prison, that 
horror spot of the war, from which so many failed to escape with 
their lives and those who did were marked with ill health for life 

\'oung John Bowen was of stronger stuff, however, and on his 
discharge from the army he returned to Ohio and started in the gro- 
cery business, at Mt. Gilead. Here he remained in business for 
twentv-two years, taking part in the growth of the country during 
that after-war period. He was prominent both in fraternal and social 
circles as well as in business, ami became a well-known figure in the 
community. A member of the Masons there, he also joined the Odd 
F"ellows at Columbus, and was a member of I luril Post, (j. A. R. at 
Mt. (iilead. During his residence there he was vice-president of the 
First National Bank of Mt. Gilead. 

In 1S96 Mr. Bowen came to Pomona, and bought a twelve-acre 
orange grove; this he solil in nine months' time and then engageil in 
the grocerv business on Second Street. Selling out this establishment, 
with his son, Charles, he engaged in the undertaking business for 
three years. This was his final business venture, and he then retired 
from active cares. ITis death occurreil in Pomona, in June, 10 17. 
A man of fine principles anil strong character, iluring his residence 



478 1IIST( )\<\ AND I'.M )C,R M'llV 

here he was treasurer, deacon, and assistant superintendent of the 
Sunday school of the First Baptist Church. He was a member and 
held office in Vicksburg Post No. 61, G. A. R. of Pomona. 

The marriage of Mr. Bowen united him with Julia A. Jenkins, 
of Mt. (lilead, Ohio, the daughter of a Baptist minister, and live 
children were born to them: Thomas D., lieceased ; VV. Clyde, de- 
ceased, Milo S., of Long Beach, has two daughters. La \^on and 
Nayda; Charles F. of Ocean Beach, San Diego County, anti J. Carson 
of Pomona, the father of a son, John Carson. Mrs. Bowen is an 
active worker in the Woman's Relief Corps, the I'.astern Star, Red 
Cross and in the First Baptist Church. 



HERBERT i:. WALCOTT 

The past decade has been one of almost phenomenal i.le\ elopment 
in California, when ban-en lands ha\e blossomed into vineyard and 
orchard almost overnight; beautiful homes have sprung up to be 
occupied by those most interested in the industries of the state, and 
with schools and colleges in all parts of the agricultural and horticul- 
tural sections in keeping with the advancement of the communities. 
The most important adjunct to all this prosperity has naturally been 
the marketing of the products raised in the fertile \alleys and on the 
hillsides; anti the men who ha\'e gi\'en of their best years to make this 
marketing profitable, and ha\e brought the output to the consumer in 
the best of condition and at the fairest prices, have indeed taken their 
place in the upbuilding of the state, and deserve their meed of praise 
when recortiing the e\ents which led to our present "place in the sun." 
Among such men we mention Herbert K. Walcott, who for the past 
twenty-odd years has been acti\'el\' intcrestd.! in the \ arums fruit 
exchanges in the state. 

Herbert E. Walcott first saw the light of da\' in the farming 
liistricts of Kansas, horn in Crawford County, No\'ember 12, 1867. 
He is a son of Samuel and Mary A. (Jewell) Walcott, farmer folk 
of that state and now both deceased, the mother a resident of Long 
Beach at the time of her passing. Herbert I{. was the only son in a 
family of ti\e children born to his parents, and recei\ed his schooling 
in the rural schools of his home en\ironment and finished with a course 
at the Kansas Normal College, and a business course in a college at 
Sedalia, iVIo. One year after leaving school he found emplovment 
in a general merchandise store at Arcadia, Kansas. 

Full of ambition, and with the West as his goal, at the age of 
twenty-one Mr. Walcott came to California, first locating at Sacra- 
mento, where he worked in the nursery department of the W. R. 
Strong Company for a time, gaining experience in the sales depart- 
ment; he then went into the green-fruit ilepartment and was with them 



II1ST()R^■ WD i;i( »C,k.\l'IIN- 47'> 

and I'attcc & Lett tor cij^lit years, and at the enil ot that pcrioil he 
came south to I'omona. After these years of experience in the truit 
business, Mr. \\'alct)tt next formed a partnership with C. A. Ludlow 
to handle oranges, the partnership continuin}>; for two seasons. I he 
following year was spent in partnership with C. F. (ireaser in the real- 
estate business, but he soon returned to his life work, the truit busi- 
ness, and took a clerical position with the San Antonio 1-ruit i'lxchange 
for three years, and while so connected was appointed manager and 
secretary of the Pomona Fruit Growers Fxchange, in 1905, and has 
held that position since that date. 

The marriage of Mr. Walcott, in 1893, united him with Miss 
Julia 1>. Williamson, and two children have been born to them, Her- 
bert \V. and Russell i\L, both now attending school in Pomona. 

In fraternal circles Mr. Walcott is a member of the Masonic 
order, the Odd Fellows and the 1- raternal Brotherhooil. Fonil n( out- 
door life, he takes his recreation in that healthful manner, and is also 
Indi\ iilually interested in fruit culture, owning citrus orchards in the 
X'alley. Formerly a member of the local boani of trade, he is now a 
member of the Chamber of Commerce, and active in all plans put 
forwaril for the advancement of this section. A man of keen public 
spirit, which brings him to the fore in such projects, Mr. Walcott can 
be counted on to do his share in promoting the welfare of his home 
community, and is highly respected for his devotion to duty. 



GFORGF J. WFIGLI', 

In the life of this successful citizen of Pomona are illustrated the 
results of perseverance and energy, coupled with judicious management 
and strict integrity. He was a citizen of whom any community might 
well be proud, and his passing left a void in the business life of this 
section, as well as in the hearts of his many friends, who esteemed him 
for his fine qualities of heart and mind. Born in Wurtemberg, near 
Stuttgart, Germany, February 6. 1865, George J. Weigic was a son 
of Michael and Christina (Myers) Weigle, also natives of Wurtem- 
berg. In 1872 the family emigrated to the L nited States -and settleil 
on a farm in Lenawee County, Mich., six miles from Ailrian. 

(jeorge J. was the oldest Tn a family of eight chililren, and was 
educated in the schools of Palmyra, Mich. He followed farming with 
his parents, and came to California in the spring of 1887, his family 
following later. Here he secureil employment on the Chino Ranch in 
San Bernardino County, working as a butcher for Richard (iird on 
a large stock ranch for two years. In 1891 he came to Pomona and 
started in the butcher business here with his brother, Charles, as a 
partner, in the old Central Market. In 1894 they moved to 240 South 
Main Street as the business grew, and in 1895 Charles withilrew ami 



480 HISTOK^• AXJ) lUOGRAPHV 

went into business for himself, and George J. continued alone until his 
death. June 24, 1916. He conducted three markets in Pomona, and 
a branch in Chino, all supplied from stock which he purchased and 
fattened on his twentv-acre ranch two miles south of Pomona; there he 
erected a cold-storage plant and slaughter house, and built a large cold- 
storage and refrigerator plant at his market in town as well. 

The marriage of Mr. Weigle, in Pomona, united him with I'mma 
Hansler. a native of Niles, Mich., and three daughters were born to 
them: Hazel. Leola and Anita. The father erected a tine home on 
the corner of Seventh and Main Streets, and the tamily still reside 
there. A man of sterling qualities, always ready to help in any move- 
ment for the advancement of Pomona, Mr. Weigle was prominent in 
the civic and social life of the community as well as in business circles. 
Fraternally, he was a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Foresters, 
the Fraternal Aid, and of Pomona Lodge Xo. 789, B. P. O. Elks. It 
is his standard of citizenry which has broLight tiiis section to its present 
era of prosperity. 



JLLIAX F. CUMBERLAND 

It is natural that earnest devotion to the interests of California 
should characterize Julian F. Cumberland for the long span of forty- 
two years has elapsed since he first came to the Golden State, and 
though his stay was then but for a year he was, like thousands of 
others, drawn back to its borders, and now for a period of thirtv-four 
years he has been continuously identified with the growth of Pomona 
\^alley and one of the most important factors in the development of 
the La Verne section. Here he has led a useful, contented and pros- 
perous existence, exhibiting in the management of his extensive inter- 
ests a capability and energy equalled by few. Mr. Cumberland was 
born on September 18, 1835, near Hillsboro, Highland County, Ohio, 
a town that has become historically famous through its association 
with the earliest days of the temperance movement known as the 
''Woman's Crusade." Here a little band of courageous Christian 
women led by the widow of Judge Thompson, emboldened by their 
consecrated ideals, began this crusade, praying in and before the sa- 
loons amid the jeers and scoffs of the passers-by, but from this little 
band there developed the world-wide organization known as the 
Women's Christian Temperance L'nion, a mo\ ement that has gained 
momentum until now their cherished iileal of a saloonless America 
is to be realized. 

Mr. Cumberland's father, William Cumberhmtl, was iiorn in 
PennsyKania at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela 
rivers in 1821, and when ten years of age he removed with his parents 
to Ohio and settled on a new farm eighteen miles south of Hillsboro. 
It was timber land ami they cleared and impro\ed it, William sharing 



1I1ST( )\i\ AND i;i< H-.KAl'll^" 4x;> 

in this ardiKius pioneer life. Julian's mother before her marriajfc w as 
Mary i). Cornctet, horn near Hiittahi, \. \ ., ol Irench [larents. wiio 
came from Irance to Hiiliah), N. \ . She came witli her parents to 
Mowrvstown, Iliyhlaiui Coiint\', Ohio, when that section was sparsely 
settled, and they became pioneer settlers of that reirion; Cirandfather 
Thomas Ciimbcrlantl, born in Delaware, diet! on the original Cum- 
berland place in Highland County, Ohio. Cireat-grandfatber Cuni- 
berlami came from Kngland, of old Presbyterian stock. William 
Cumberland and his wife owned the old Cumberland I arm ami reareil 
their family there ami there he passed away on the oKi home farm i.'i 
1871, esteemed and honored in the community that he had ilone a 
great part in developing. Ihe mother passed away in 1907 at the 
age of seventy-nine years. 

Mr. and Mrs. Cumberland were the parents of two children, but 
Julian, the subject of this review, alone grew to maturity. He was 
reared on the home farm in Ohio, and here was inculcated in hint 
those lessons of thrift ami industry that have played no small part in 
the marked success of his mature years. He receivcil his education 
in the public schools of his locality and at the early age of eighteen he 
obtained a certificate to teach. He took a school in the adjoining 
district and taught there until his home ilistrict importuneil him to 
teach, so he had charge of the school there until he was twenty-one 
years of age. When he took his first school he was engaged at the 
sum of $.^5 per month, but so well were the directors pleased with his 
work that they paid him S4l). which was considered a very gooii salary 
in those days, ^^'hen he became of age the desire to see more of the 
world letl him to !iiake a trip to California, ami he arriveii in Los 
Angeles on May 12, 1877, coming through from Omaha on a com- 
bination passenger and freight train, a journey that re(]uired nine days. 
Los Angeles at that time bore little semblance to its present metropol- 
itan appearance, being then a town of less than 10,000 population. 
Mr. Cumberland went to work on a ranch near Westminster, where 
he received .S2(l a month and board, but after remaining about a year 
he returned to Ohio and resumed teaching. 

After his return to his native place he was marrieil to Miss Clara 
K. Huggitis, born on the adjoining farm to his father's place, ami 
she was the daughter of Silas W. and /enah C. ( .Mcladilin) Hug- 
gins, who like the Cumberlamls, were pioneer farmers of that section 
of Ohio. The Hugginses formerly were from North Carolina, of 
English descent, while the Mcladden family came from N'irginia to 
Ohio, and were Scotch-Irish, ami were abolitionists, as were the mem- 
bers of the families on all sides. After several years' resilience in 
(Jhio, Mr. and Mrs. J. I". Cumberland tiecided to try a complete 
change of climate, as both of them were in poor health. Acconlingly 
they set out for California, arriving in Los Angeles August I. IS85. 
Six days later Mr. Cumberland came to I'omona ami on October 24 



484 HISTORY' AND I'.loC.RAl'l 1 V 

he purchased eighty acres on the Base Line Road and P^merald Ave- 
nue, then called Gubser Road, which he later had changed by peti- 
tion to Emerald Avenue. In 1887 he bought eighty acres more, but 
later he had much trouble about the title to the land. He and others 
had bought this land from the Southern Pacific Railroad Company 
and had made improvements, but tour or ti\e years later the Lnited 
States Government decided that the Southern Pacific had obtained 
this land fraudulently, so the settlers had no title. However they 
remained, and the United States Government a few years later de- 
cided that the settlers were innocent purchasers and issueti them a 
patent tlirect. 

Mr. Cumberland meanwhile IkuI set out a considerable acreage 
in deciduous trees — twenty-six acres of prunes, three acres of apricots, 
three acres of pears, seven acres of Sultana raisins, eight acres of 
peaches and one acre of apples. When they came into bearing, how- 
ever, he found that there was no profitable market for the fruit and 
he was obliged to sell prunes at one and three-fourths cents a pound 
and Bartlett pears for $6.00 a ton, deli\ered six miles aw'ay. He 
then grubbed up the orchard and set out his first citrus trees in 1897. 
For the first three years he watered his orchard with a tank, but about 
1900 Uncle Dick Wallace sunk the first well in this locality near the 
Base Line Road and obtained water for his place. He also bought 
twenty acres and sunk a second well on Williams Avenue, and in his 
generous way made the offer to put it into a company at cost so others 
could be benefited. The neighbors accepted the offer, and with Mr. 
Cumberland and others formed the La Verne Land and Water Com- 
pany, and put in a pumping plant. The company was organized in 
1900, and Dick Wallace was president and Mr. Cumberland was 
secretary, and continued as such for many years. Lie then set out 
more and more acreage each year until he had sixtv-fi\'e acres m 
oranges and fifteen in lemons, now full bearing. He was the prime 
mo\er and called the first meeting for the organization of the La 
Verne Orange Growers Association. The ranchers of his district had 
been taking their fruit to North Pomona for some time, but as they 
ran the plant on the Sabbath Day, which was not in accord with Mr. 
Cumberland's principles, he called a meeting, which resulted in the 
formation f)f the abo\e association. Mr. Cumberland was made a 
director and vice-president from the start, and he continued to hoKl 
these offices until he sold his ranch in 1918. 

Mr. Cumberland also bought a fifteen-acre orange orchard near 
his ranch for $8,400, kept it for twenty months, taking off two crops, 
and sold it for $20,500; he also bought eleven acres on Foothill Bou- 
levard and Garey A\enue and set it to oranges and in less than two 
years sold it for $11,000. The same year he purchased a tract of 
between twelve and thirteen acres between La Verne and San Dimas 
for S^1,000, which he set to orchard, and when it i-eachetl the price of 



IIIST()K^■ AM) r.loCKAnn' 4X5 



$1,()()(J an acre he disposed of it. All ot this tiiTie he was itnproviny 
his own ranch as well as rearing and eiiucatinji; his six children, seml- 
ing them to Occidental College in Los Angeles. He also purchaseil a 
tract ot 214 acres between F.liiio ami Pond, in Kern County, installed 
a pumping plant and ile\<)ted it to alfalta and grain raising, and this 
ranch he still owns. Later he purchased sixty acres more near .Mi- 
larland, Kern County, which he sold to his son-in-law, Phillip A. Lee. 
He also has a desert claim ot .120 acres near Blythe. In 19U2 he 
mo\ed to Highland Park, Los Angeles, purchasing his present home 
at 1 .^ I West Avenue 51. where he resided to educate his children. In 
1913 he moved back to the ranch, where he lived until 191 S. when he 
sold the ranch and mo\ed back to his Highland Park home. froi?i 
which place he looks after his extensive interests. 

.\Ir. and .Vjrs. Cumberland are the parents of six chililren: I.dna 
D., a graduate of Occidental College, is the wife of Re\ . \V. L. 
Roberts, who was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Sioux 
Falls, S. D., for eight years, but now pastor of the First I'resbyterian 
Church at Champaign, 111.; Genevieve M., a graduate of Occidental 
College, is the wife of Phillip A. Lee, a farmer at .McFarland; F.sther 
C. graduated at Occidental College and from Stanford L niversitv 
with the degree ot .\I. D., then ser\cd as interne at the Women and 
Children's Hospital at Syracuse, N. Y.. for one year, where she met 
and married R. P. Kratz, who is now production manager of the 
Edison Flectric Company at Ontario, where they resiile; William 
Wilson graduated at Occidental College with the .A. B. tiegree, then 
obtained the M. A. degree at Columbia L'ni\ersity, and that of Ph. D. 
at Princeton at the age of twenty-six. He was statistician for the 
War Trade Board at the Peace Conference in Paris. Fie is now sta- 
tioned at Constantinople, studying the economic situation for the Peace 
Conference; Homer Flugene is at home; Roger Craig ser\ eil in the 
United States Army and was commissioned a second lieutenant at 
Camp Taylor, Ky. ; he is a graduate of Occidental College and is now 
attending McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. 

j-'olitically Mr. and .Mrs. Cumberland are stanch Republicans, 
coming from families who ha\e always been strong adherents of the 
principles of that party, their fathers' homes ha\ing been stations on 
the "underground railroad" during the days of slavery, before the 
Civil War. Always interestcil in the cause of education, .Mr. Cum- 
berland was one of the organizers of the La \'frne district school and 
a trustee tor many years, lie was also an organizer of the First 
.National Bank of La N'erne and served continuoush as a tlirector until 
he sold out and resigned. In religious matters Mr. and .Mrs. Cumber- 
land ha\e always been \er\ acti\e members of the Presbyterian 
Church. They joined the Pomona church when they tirst came to the 
\'alley in 188.5, when there were only twenty-ti\e members, and .Mr. 
Cumberland was superintendent of the Sunday School for four years. 



486 J!1S'R)RV AXI) I'.lLHiRArilV 

During his former resilience in Los Angeles he was an elder of the 
Highland Park Presbyterian Church and he taught the aihilt Sunday 
School class, which reached a membership of eighty. 



GEORGE H. WATERS 

A man of unusual power in the community in wiiich lie li\ed and 
labored was the late George H. Waters, who died in l\)mona in Sep- 
tember, 1917. He was a nati\e of Hendricks County, Ind., where 
he was born on July 12, 1846, the son of Joseph Waters, a Ken- 
tucky farmer; and after ha\ing been reared on a iarm, he went to 
the city of Indianapolis anci engaged in business. In more ways than 
one he succeeded from the start; part of the experience there obtained 
equipping him for the still more difficult task of louiuling a home in 
a newer and more unsettled country. 

Ill 1876 i\Ir. Waters joined a company of friends and they drove 
in wagons across the country from Emporia, Kans., to Den\-er, Colo. 
There he conductetl a wholesale traile in Iruit aiul produce, ami also 
dealt in real estate, owning for a while considerable city property. 
His ideal was to so cievelop what he had that, while increasing the 
value of the estate, he addeil to the \ alue ami attractiveness of the 
neighborhood, and following that ideal, he became something more 
than a mere landowner, a real benefactor to the locality in which he 
lived. 

He first came to California on a \'isit, and was so impressed 
with the country that he returned to Denver, disposed of his holdings 
and came to Pomona to make a home. In 1890 he established the 
G. H. Waters Canning I-actory, the first successful canning factory 
in Pomona, where he ran a dry yanl, ami such was the quality of his 
products that he soon commanded orders from far and wide. He 
helped to found the Citrus Fruit Juice Company of Pomona, man- 
aged the business until about 1914 and assisted a nimiber of young 
men to start in business in Pomona. 

Later he bought fifty-three acres at the southern end of South 
Hamilton Avenue, which he at once developed, sinking a well and 
installing a pumping plant, setting out apple and peach trees, and 
planting alfalfa. He also owned a six-acre orange grove near Clare- 
mont and a ranch of se\enty-fi\'e acres near Chino, which he planted 
to alfalfa and apricots, ami developed, adding a pumping plant. 

Turning to public service for the benefit of his fellowmen, Mr. 
Waters served for two terms on the Board of Education of Pomona, 
and also on the Board of City Trustees, and he gave freely to many 
enterprises lor the betterment of the city. He was one of the founders 
of the First Christian Church, and acted as elder of the church and 
chairman of the board of trustees. He gave freely to the campaign 




SmUJc^o^ 



lIISTOkV AXD IIIOGRAI'IIV 4S',) 

funds of the cliiircli, nrul helped to raise money for its or^an, costiti)^ 
$7,5ltl). Beinjr musical himself, aiul haxin^r a line urulerstandinu o( 
church music, he leii the choir for years. He also contrihuteil toward 
the erection of the Greek Theater in (ianesha I'ark. 

Mr. ^^'aters was married in Hendricks County, Ind., on ( )ctnlH r 
15, 1S6S, his bride being Miss Harriet C lleece, a native of NortJ-, 
Salem, Ind. She shared with her husband the trials ol piotieer life 
and has sur\i\ed him, to be the center ot a circle ot dexoted triends. 



CH.XRLl-S I). BAKI'R 

Judged not only by his recortl as a member ot the Board of 
Education, but also by his individual worth as citizen and idealist, it is 
evident that no better selection could have been made of a distinguisheil 
Pomonan, to watch over and ilirect the educational interests of the 
city, than that of Charles D. Baker, who came to Pomona only a 
decade ago, but has identified himself closely with the town e\er since. 
He was born in Ogle County. 111., on May 5, 1868, ami began his 
education in the city schools of his district. Later, fulfilling a natural 
ambition for the best that was obtainable, he graduated from the 
Western College of Toledo, Iowa, where he made many friends and 
business connections of value, so that he was induced to stay antl cast 'n 
his lot there. 

He was in the drug business there for a number of years, and 
was also a member of the city council, standing for progression in all 
civic affairs. Then he went to Sioux 1- alls, S. 1)., v\here he was secre- 
tary and treasurer of a wholesale hardware firm. If he profited by 
a gradually developing experience such as many men would be glad 
to enjoy, and which has always stood by him in operations since, the 
communities in which he sought to accomplish something undoubtedly 
also gained through the cowork of one animated bv high ideals and 
broad sympathies, and a desire to spare no pains when it was a question 
of securing what was needed. 

On reaching Pomona, in 1909, .Mr. Baker became cashier of the 
Savings Bank; but, having acquired three orange groves, he soon 
resigned to look after his ranches. These valuable properties consist 
of five acres in the Kingsley Tract, ten acres on San Jose Avenue ami 
eight acres on his home place, at the corner of Mast Holt and Alex- 
ander Avenue, and they have been brought to that state of high devel- 
opment where they evidence the success of the grower. 

Among positions of trust to which .Mr. Baker has been calletl 
may be mentioned a directorship in the Claremont Citrus Association, 
another in the Kingsley Tract Water Company, and still another in 
the Pomona Ranch Water Companv . .\nd he is now serving his second 
term as a member of the Pomona Board of lulucation, favoring the 
best possible equipment for the public schools. 



4')0 ilIST(JKV A.\l) r.loC.RAI'IlN' 

Mr. Baker was married at Toledo, Iowa, on August 22, 1889, to 
Miss Edith Rebok, and they have three children: Mrs. Geneve Pul- 
paneck of Los Angeles; Irnia, a teacher of domestic science in the 
Garey A\enue School; and a son, Herman R., who is a dental student 
at the University of Southern California. The family attend the First 
Presbyterian Church. Mr. Baker is a Knight Templar and a Mason, 
holding mcmiicrshi|i in I'oniona and in the Shrine at Los Angeles. 



JOSE H. VEJAR 

A native son of California, Jose H. \'ejar was born on what is 
now Park Avenue, Pomona, January 11, 1857. His father, Ramon 
Vejar, was born in San Gabriel, December 24, 1830, while his grand- 
father, Ricardo Vejar, was born in San Diego. He became a rancher 
and with two partners, 'i'gnacio Palomares and Luis Arenas, purchased 
the San Jose Grant and dixided it into three parts, he taking the part 
where Spadra is, while Palomares had what is now Pomona and 
Arenas t(Jok what is now A/usa. Ricardo X'ejar was an extensive 
cattleman and a man of prominence and influence in his dav. He died 
at Spadra, aged eighty-two years. 

Mr. Vejar's great-grandfather, Sah^adore \'eiar, came from 
Spain to Mexico, but \erv soon afterwards came to California, and 
helped to build San (iabriel Mission, and also the Los Angeles Mis- 
sion. He was both a carpenter and blacksmith by trade, and he was 
selected to teach his trade to the Indians at the Missions; he owned 
a farm on what is now San Pedro Street, Los Angeles. 

Ramon Vejar was raised to the cattle business, and became the 
owner of a ranch of two hundred se\cntv-eight acres on the Lordsburg 
Road, a part of the Palomares Estate, where he still resides. His 
wife, Teresa Palomares, was born in Los Angeles, a daughter of 
\ gnacio Palomares, who was also born in Los Angeles, and was part 
owner of the San Jose Rancho. He died in Pomona. Mrs. Ramon 
Vejar died in 1919, agetl sexenty-eight years. 

Jose is the oldest of a family of nine boys and three girls born to 
his parents. He lived on the ranch with his grandfather \'ejar until 
he died, when Jose was only eight years of age, after which he li\-ed 
with his uncle, 1^'rancisco Palomares. He learned to ride the range 
and care for, as well as to rope and brand cattle. He attended school 
at Spadra and later in Pomona. In 1871, when his father moved to 
his present ranch on the Lortlshurg Road, Jose assisted on the home 
farm until he was married, at the age of thirty-rt\e, the ceremony 
occurring at Vorba, Orange County, when he was united \\ith Miss 
V'incente Vorba, the daughter of Marcus Yorba. Her grandfather, 
Bernardo Yorba, was a large landowner, his holdings comprising three 
ranches, extending from what is now Corona to Whittier. 




truCuLj£.^ , 



IIlSToKN' AXl.) lllor^KAl'llV 49.> 

Jose \'cj;ir cnpajred in farmiiij^ near Yorba, wlicrc he still owns 
408 acres, as well as nineteen acres aJjoininf^ \ Drba, the latter beinjj; 
set to oranges and walnuts. While still operatinf"; the ^'orba ranch, he 
resides on his ranch on the Lorilslnirg l^oad, near La \'erne. I le was 
bereaved of his wife in September, 190(1. Of this union were born six 
children: IVoilan tlieii at the age of eighteen years; Lorando; Bea- 
trice, Mrs. De Soto; Kamona; Teresa and Sophia. Since the disco\ery 
of the oil gusher at Yorba in March, 1919, he has leased his land 
to two different oil companies. As gushers have been f)btained on 
adjoining farms, he also stands a splendiil chance of obtaining \al- 
uable wells. Politically, he is a stalwart Republican. 



DAXii-.L (,. ARiu ruNor 

A nati\e of Iowa who has contributed largely to the business lite 
of Pomona \'alley during his many years of residence here is 
Daniel (i. Arbuthnot, who was born in Benton County, Iowa, (_)n No- 
vember 1, 18S0, and was se\en years old when he came to Cali- 
fornia with his parents. He was fortunate in coming direct to Po- 
mona; and here he attended both the grammar and the high school, 
after which, for a year, he studied at the Lni\ersity oi Southern 
California. 

Leaving the academic halls, Daniel assisted his father ft)r a 
while on the home ranch, and then, at the age of eighteen, commenced 
to pack oranges with J- D. McClenny of Pomona. He took up the 
various occupations in the fruit-packing industry, and became foreman 
of the Moffitt Fruit Packing Company at Rialto. Then, for two and 
a half years was foreman of the California Citrus L nion of Pomona, 
and after that was in a similar capacity for the Pomona I- ruit (irowers 
Exchange. 

In the fall of 1909, Mr. Arbuthnot came to La \'erne ami 
helped organize the La ^'erne Orange and Lemon (irowers Associ- 
ation, one of the most effective cooperative associations in the state; 
and he has been secretary antl manager of the same ever since. L luler 
his excellent guidance and inspiration, the establishment has become 
the largest plant of the kind in the Pomona \'alley, and his pride in 
its growth, during the ten years of its existence, is very natural. 

At the time of its formation there was no packing association 
at La \erne, and the truit grown in that vicinity was packed by the 
San Dimas ami Intiian Hill Associatif)n plants. In a single decade, 
the La \'erne Association has grown from an output of 225 cars for 
the first year to 1,50(1 cars iluring the year 1919. In the fall of 1914, 
also, a lemon plant was built, anil in 1919, 200 cars of lemons were 
shipped as the La \ erne crop. 

In the fall of 1914, the capacity of the orange house was doubled, 
ami a precooling ami ice manufacturing plant was erected and 



494 HISTORY AND lUoCKAi'l IV 

equipped. Here the fruit, after being paeked, is put in the precooHng 
house and eooled, and afterward loaded on the cars, which are iced. 
Under this method the fruit is carried to its linal destination without 
additional icing. The business has increased so rapidly that the stock- 
holders have found it necessary to erect another orange house, and 
to increase the size of the lemon house, which will be reativ for the 
1919-20 pack. 

Concerning the recent progress of this useful cog in the wheel of 
California's industrial and commercial dev'elopment, the newspapers 
have published an item of exceptional interest. "Next week," said one 
of the journals, "the offices of the La Verne Orange Growers Asso- 
ciation will be mo\-ed into the new atlministration building which is 
nearing completion, the work ha\ing been progressing satisfactorily 
since the middle of December. The new administration building will 
contain four handsome office rooms with a large directors' room in 
connection. The mission style has been followed in the architecture, 
the building being constructed of brick, plastered over. In the interior 
the woodwork is of mahogany. Besides this structure, the association 
has just finished a lemon storage buikfing, the dimension's of which 
are 72 by 120 feet. It is especially arranged for the storage of lemons, 
with particular attention being given to ventilation. There are two 
floors to the structure, giving ample space for holding a large quantity 
of fruit. D. G. Arbuthnot, manager of the La \'erne Association, is 
highly pleased with the new building." 

The officers of this wide-awake association are: President, D. C. 
Crookshank; vice-president, B. A. Woodford; secretary anil manager, 
D. G. Arbuthnot: directors, V. W. Baker, Claremont: J. C. (laff, 
Pomona; and W. S. Romick, R. L. Davis and J. T. Tittsworth of La 
Verne. September 1, a new district exchange was formed, known as 
the La Verne P^ruit Exchange, ha\ing under its control the sale of 
oranges and lemons in the La \'erne district, antl Mr Arbuthnot was 
chosen secretary and manager of the new exchange, a position he is 
filling with his usual ability. It was also deemed advisable to separate 
the orange and lemon interests and the La Verne Lemon Association 
was formed. J. D. Van Duyene was made manager of the Orange 
Association to succeed iVIr. Arbuthnot, ami J. \V. LaMont was se- 
lected manager of the Lemon Association. Mr. B. A. Woodford, who 
for many years was the successful manager of the California Fruit 
Growers Association, is president of the La \^erne District Exchange, 
ha\ing all his citrus holdings in the La \'erne district. 

At Pomona, on December 1(1, 1903, Mr. Arbuthnot was married 
to Miss Margaret McXaughton, a nati\'e of Scotland, where she 
spent the earlier years of her life, by whom he has had three chiKlren: 
iVIelvin, Margaret and Raymond. The family attend the Trinity 
Methodist Episcopal Church of Pomona, and Mr. Arbuthnot is a 
member of the Knights of Pythias. As a prominent orange grower 



II1ST()R^■ AM) I'.K H-.K \l'll\- 4''5 

he has owned se\eral groxes in the La \'erne Jistrict; in parrnersiilii 
with Dana C. Kin^, orange sales manager for the Calitornia Iruit 
Exchange, he has recently purchaseii a gro\e ot 160 acres, eight-, 
acres of which is highly impro\ei.i, the remainiier heitig \aUiahle foot- 
hill land which offers facilities tor many beautiful building sites. It is 
located abo\ e the Base Line Road north ot La \'erne aiul was for- 
merly ownei.! by J. 1". Cumberland, who personally planted the entire 
grove, and who is now living retired at Highland Park. Los Angeles. 
Thus it will be seen that Mr. Arbuthnot has personally contributed 
to the development of the section along the lines ot its natural destiny. 



LOIIS H. TLLLLK 

A tamily distinguisheil for its interesting and en\ lable association 
with stirring American historv. ami its relation, in successi\e genera- 
tions, to the development, on high lines, of the American bar, is that 
of Louis B. Tuller. a natixe of Worthington, I'ranklin County, Ohio, 
where he was born on Xo\ember 14. 1S48. His father was Llomer 
Tuller, a native of Connecticut and a descendant of Holland-Ameri- 
cans who came from The Netherlands as early as 16,^9 anil settled in 
New York, after which they remoxed to Connecticut; so that, as an 
old colonial family, they took an active and very honorable part in 
both the American Rexolution and previous wars. Homer Tuller 
married Miss Eliza Kilbourn. also a representative of a colonial 
family, whose name has more than once tigured in the most honorable 
manner in the early history of America. 

Reared anil educated in Franklin County, where he eventually 
became justice of the peace and member of the city council at Worth- 
ington, .Mr. Tuller was graduated from the law department of the 
University of .Michigan, and was admitted to the bar to practice in 
that state. His boyhood and youth were spent on a farm, ami when 
he went to Pratt County, Kans., in 1883 (where he remained for 
fifteen years, excepting two years when he was in the banking business 
at Springlielil, .Mo.), he became a lami-owner, as well as a banker. 
He was also assistant county register of Pratt County, and later, during 
the winter of 1888-89, docket clerk of the state senate of Kansas. 

In 1889 .Mr. Tuller moved west to California and took up his 
residence at Pomona, where he located on a ranch of ten acres, with 
walnut and orange groves, on Artesia Street. It was partly improved; 
but he set out new walnut groves and otherwise improved the 
property, so that he succeeded in bringing it to a very high state of 
cultivation and production. As a matter of fact, he really bought the 
ranch before coming here, and that investeil interest drew him, as it has 
many others, to try the locality as a home-place. 

While at luka, Kans., on June 1, 1885, .Mr. Fuller was married 
to Miss Lula Kimple, a native of Iowa, and the daughter of Adam 



496 HISTORY .\XD UlOGRAPJiY 

Kimplc, a lieutenant in the Ci\il War, by whom he has had two chil- 
dren — a son, Walter K. "J'ulier, and a tlaughter, Louisa, now Mrs. 
F. H. Pinska of Berkeley. Mrs. Tuller is a member of the Congrega- 
tional Church and the Mbel! Club of Pomona, while Mr. fuller belongs 
to the Unitarian Church of that city. 

Walter I'uller, now junior member of the law firm of O'Melveny, 
Milliken & Tuller of Los Angeles, is one of the brightest young men 
who ever came out of Pomona Valley. He was graduated from the 
Pomona High School and the University of California, where he 
pursued the requisite courses in the department ol la\v, and was 
admitted to the bar of California just before graduation, having 
finished a four years' course in three and a half years. He has han- 
dled some of the important cases of the firm with success, especially 
the famous case of the California Development Company of Imperial 
County, which he won. He was at one time secretary of the Southern 
California Chapter of the Society of Colonial Wars, and is a member 
of the Sons of the Re\-olution, and he had the distincti\e honor of being 
professor in the Southwestern Law College of Los Angeles. He also 
contributed articles to the North .lincrican Ri'-ctczv and the .liucr'irau 
Ldzv Rc'iiezv before he was twenty-four years of age. He married 
Miss Mary Shepard of Fullerton, Cal.. and they ha\'e three children. 

While in the Uni\-ersity of California, Mr. "Fuller was captain 
of the uni\-crsity football team, and a member of the university rowing 
crew; and when the war with Germany broke out, he Nolunteered and 
was one of the few who received a conunission as majt)r at the I'irst 
Officers' Training School at the Presltlio at San f'rancisco, graduating 
at the head of the list of competitors. He also graduated from the 
Staff College and Line Officers' Training School in France, ami became 
a major in the 'Hiree Hundred Sixty-secoml United States Infantry, 
just before the armistice was signed. 

Llis sister, Mrs. Pinska, was graduated from Occidental College 
and later received a teaching tlegree at the LJniversity of Southern 
California, and she taught school for four years at the Chino High 
School. She has one son, and is a member of the Daughters of the 
American Re\(ilution. 



MORRIS RANDOLPH WLINFKE 

Pomona \ alley has been more than foi'tunate in the number of 
capable men who ha\e chosen tiiis locality for theii- home. The history 
of the Valley is a record of commercial, iiuiustrial and educational 
achievements, and it is without doubt due to the caliber of the men and 
women who have labored toward the results recorded. Among these 
worthy builders may be mentioned Morris Ranilolph Weineke, horti- 
culturist and city trustee of Claremoi 
unanimously electeil. 




'lJ\^yxMlt' 



/OA^rit^ 



1IIS'I"( )kN' WD I'.K )C.K W\\\ 4'»( 

A iiatixc of New York City. Mr. Wciiickc lirst saw the li^lit of 
day XovcmlxT 13. ISOS. a son of Henry ami ]-,Ii/ahetli ( Sneilleilir ) 
W'cineke. both parents bein^ now ileceaseJ. 1 lis father w as a comniis- 
slon merchant in that metropolis anJ Morris K. recei\eii his eilueation 
in the schools ot New ^'ork City, and on linishinf.; his stmlies was with 
his father in the commission business. 

At the a^e ot twenty years. Mr. Weineke left home and came to 
San Dieno. Cal.. in 18,SS, and in 1 894 settled in Claremont. in the em- 
ploy of the Pomona Land and Water Con\|ian\. I U' now spends his 
time, in ackiition to his public duties, in orange fijrowing. ha\ing his 
own acreaj^e. to the development of which he gives the best and most 
modern methods to be had. Since 1910 he has served as a trustee oh 
Claremont and is now the oldest member of the board in vcars of 
scr\ice. A man ot keen and broad xision, in politics he puts man abo\e 
party, and is a most reaiiy worker toward the further progress of this 
thri\ ing section of the orange belt. 



l.RM SI" BROOKS 

A \ery successful truit grower who has well ilemonstrateti that 
to make a success as a rancher in California, one must not onlv iie a 
good student of agriculture in general, but must thoroughly under- 
stand California conditions, is Mrnest Brooks, vice-president of the 
EI Camino Citrus Association. He was born at Charlottetown, Prince 
Kdward Island, Canada, on January 14. 1864. and is the fifth oldest 
in a family of seven children born to Thomas Robert and .Margaret 
Harper (Simmonds) Brooks, who were also born on Prince lulward 
Island, of English parents. Thomas R. Brooks was a college man 
and was an educator until he retired to Attleboro, .Mass., where he 
and his wife passed the remainder of their days. 

Ernest Brooks was educated in the schools of Charlottetown. 
When he was sixteen he came to Boston and there began paddling 
his own canoe. Becoming interested in the great West, he came to 
the Rocky .Mountain region in 1884. .Arriving in Denver he was 
steaiiiiy employeil until he was twenty-one \ears of age. In 1886, hav- 
ing a desire to own a farm, he homesteaiied 160 acres near Cherry 
Creek, ten miles south ot Deiner, and he also took up a timber claim 
of 160 acres. It was raw land, there was no doubt of that: but he set 
to work resolutely and won for himself the honorable liistinction of 
pioneer by improxing the holding and bringing it to a good state of 
culti\ation, and made a success of stock raising and dairying. 

After sixteen years in Colorado, Mr. Brooks came to Pomona 
\ alley in the spring of 1900, ami here he has been an orange grower 
e\ cr since. He has owned several groves in the \'alley ami ileveloped 
them. Before coming here he passed a short time in the northern 



500 HISTORY A\'U IJIOGRAPHY 

part of the state and visited many localities, but found no such ideal 
spot as his present home site on East Cucamonga A\cnuc, where he 
has eighteen acres in one of the best groves in the Valley. So produc- 
tive is his holding that in 1912 he took 10,000 boxes of oranges from 
his trees. 

Mr. Brooks has been particularly successful in buying, impro\ing 
and selling orange groves; and he and others have developed a good 
well, with a first-class pumping plant on Harrison Avenue, which thev 
use for irrigatioH purposes. His own grove is under the Loop anel 
Meserve irrigation system. Prominent in all the affairs of the com- 
munity, Mr. Brooks now occupies the important post of vice-president 
of the El Camino Citrus i\ssociation. He is also a ilirector of the 
First National Bank of Claremont, and before the consolidation of the 
two Claremont banks was one of the organizers and ilirectors of the 
Claremont National Bank. 

At Claremont on September 19, 1905, occurred Mr. Brooks' 
marriage. His wife was in maidenhood Miss Helen Tattle, who was 
born at Alpena, Mich., the daughter of Judge Jonathan B. and Sarah 
(Ross) Tuttle. Judge Tuttle was a captain in the One Hundred 
Second United States Colored Volunteer Regiment in the Ci\il War. 
After the war he was a practicing attorney, serving ten years on the 
bench, after which he practiced law in Detroit until he retired, spend- 
ing his last years in California. His widow survives him and makes 
her home in Claremont. The Tuttle family traces its ancestry back 
to Wiltshire, England, to William Tuttle, who migrated to Connecticut 
in 1635, of whom Mrs. Brooks is a lineal descendant, as well as of 
Jotham Tuttle, who served in the Revolutionary War. Mrs. Brooks 
received her education in the public schools of Alpena, Mich., and 
at the University of Michigan. Coming to Los Angeles County in 
1894, she met Mr. Brooks, the acquaintance resulting in their mar- 
riage. 

Mr. and Mrs. Brooks are the parents of two children, Ernest A. 
and Kenneth, and the family attend the Congregational Church in 
Claremont. Fraternally, Mr. Brooks is a member of the Fraternal 
Aid and the Woodmen of the World. 



• JUSTUS REIMERS 

A resident of Pomona \'alley since a lad of eleven years, Justus 
Rcimers recel\ed his schooling and his experience within the con- 
fines of the Valley and can truthfully be called a representati\e pro- 
duct of the environment he was fortunate enough to be reared in. 
Born in Nemaha County, Neb., August 19, 1881, he is a son of 
Reimer and Sarah (Anderson) Reimers, of (ierman and Scotch-Trish 
extraction, respectively. They were engagetl in farming in Nebraska, 
and in 1892 came to California and settled on a ranch near Pomona. 



HISTORY AXl) r.Ior.R Al'in" 501 

Here the mother passed on in 1915, the father still, at the ripe old 
age of eighty-eight years, making his home with his son Justus. 

Justus Reimers was the youngest of six boys horn to his parents, 
only three of whom are now living. He recciveil his education in the 
Chino and Pomona public schools, and finished with a course at \\"i\- 
liams Business College. He then worked for a time in the mercantile 
business, with Miilgley Bros., for two years. Ha\ ing been breil from 
a family who followed agricultural pursuits, however, he felt the call 
of the land, anil soon starteil ranching on his own account. Starting 
with nothing, he accumulated from 300 to 400 acres in grain and 
alfalfa lands, and then turned to citrus cultivation, meeting with the 
same success. In this way he ilesclopcd se\cral ranches, bringing them 
to a high state of cultivation from the barren soil, and has pro\en 
himself a worthy citizen of the \'alley; public spirited and enterpris- 
ing, he is ready at all times to ilo his share toward promoting the bert 
interests of his home section, which he has seen de\elop wonderfully 
during his own development, and with unlimited possibilities for fur- 
ther upbuilding. In addition to his citrus cultivation, Mr. Reimers is 
intcrestcil in the real estate and brokerage business. 

The marriage of Justus Reimers, on December 31, 1903, united 
him with Miss Florence M. Deay, a native of Kansas, but reareii in 
Pomona, and two children have been born to them : Reggidene I.s- 
ther in Claremont High, and Donald Herbert. Fraternallv Mr. 
Reimers is a member of Pomona Lodge No. 107, K. of V. He is also 
a member of the Chamber of Commerce in Claremont, ami interests 
himself in ci\ic affairs and in any project which will better conditions. 
For recreation he indulges in outdoor sports, being especially fond of 
fishing anti hunting. 



WIII.IA.M A FOX 

One of the highly esteemed and successful men in the community 
in which he resides is William A. Fox, who was born in Du Page 
County, III., July 1, 1864. After completing his education in the public 
and high schools of his native state he supplemented this with a busi- 
ness college course, and was afterwards in the accounting department 
of the Chicago, Burlington & (Juincy Railroad for one year. He was 
^vith the Aetna Powder Company of Chicago for fifteen years, and 
came to Pomona in 1902, where he purchased a fourtcen-acre orange 
orchard at the corner of San Antonio and Foot Hill Boulevard, which 
he still owns. Besides this very productive orange grove, he is also the 
owner of two other orange orchards. For fifteen years he has been 
director and stockholder in the Indian Hill Citrus Association, and is 
president of the North Palomares Mutual Irrigation Company, and 



50-' II1ST( )K\ AXn i;i( K'.KAI'in" 

director ot the Growers I'umigation & Supply Company, and also a 
director in the La \"erne Land and Water Company, and one of the 
founders of the La \'ernc Water Association. 

His marriage united him with Luella T. Fox, a native of Iowa. 
Their only son, Paul X., who was chemist for the mechanical depart- 
ment of IvOS Angeles County, enlisted in the war and soon after died, 
on October ."^O, 1918, of pneumonia. Ernestine died, aged four years, 
in January, 19(1.^. In his church associations Mr. Fox is a member of 
the Trinit\' Methotlist Church at Pomona. 



WILLIAM ARTHUR JOHNSTONE 

A man of \ersatilc abilities, William Arthur Johnstone is well 
informed concerning the possibilities of the connnon\vealth of his 
adoption and eager to de\'clop its \ast resources. Throughout the 
state he is well known in many avenues of activity where his s])lendid 
charactei- and broad intelligence have left an indelible impress 
for good. 

A studv of the Johnstone genealogy indicates that James Arthur 
Johnstone, a native of Ontario, Canada, was of Scotch ancestry. He 
learned the occupation of a horticulturist, antl as early as 1862 came 
via Panama to San Francisco; he spent some time in Santa Clara 
County, later going to Virginia City, Nev., and in about 1865 returned 
overland to Ontario. About this time he established family ties, being 
united with Elzina S. Way, and the young couple engaged in horti- 
culture, making a specialty of raising apples and berries. Fhis was 
Mr. Johnstone's special hobby, and he had a splentlid orchard. In 
1880 he removed to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he engaged in farm- 
ing as well as in the mercantile business. Two years later, in 1882, he 
located land on what is now a part of the site of Brandon, Manitoba, 
Feing one of the original locators of the town ; lie laitl out a subdiv ision 
of 160 acres called "Johnstone F'.state," antl besides his real-estate 
interests was an extensive stock dealer. In 1890 he returned to Cali- 
fornia, purchasing 120 acres of raw laml at San Dimas, and this he 
improveii to oranges and lemons. He has also tievelopeil ,100 acres 
at Wood Lake, Tulare County, setting it to oranges and olives. Mr. 
Johnstone was always very prominent and active in the various 
cooperative truit associations formed in his ilistricts, for a time being 
president of the board of directors of one of the local organizations. 
He now resides on Paloma Street, Altadena, his wife having passed 
awav at San Dimas in 1904. 

Mr. and Mrs. James A. Johnstone were the parents of six chil- 
tlren, ot whom William Arthur is the thii\l child. He was born at 
Ameliasburg, Ontario, on December 15, 1869, where he was reared 
until 1S80, when he removeil with hils parents to \\'innlpeg. Here they 



IIIST()K\- AM) i;|()C.R.\|'ii\- 3o_, 

resided for a time, then fr„injr to Brandon, Manitoba, where he at- 
tended the Brandon Collegiate Institute, after which he spent two 
years in a law office. I le was then appointed assistant deputy treasurer 
of the city of Brandon, hokiing this office for one year. On |une 1 
l.S9(l, he came to San Dimas, Cal., where with his father and hrothers 
he began to improve the 120 acres of land that his father had pur- 
chased into orange and lemon orchards. He gave the closest study 
to the care of these groves, the result being that the Johnstone orchards 
are second to none in the district that has become so famous (or its 
production of a fine (luality of oranges and lemons. I le was interested 
from the start m the San Dimas Irrigation Company, successor to the 
San Jose Ranch Company, also the Artesian Belt Water Company, that 
sunL- the first producing well in the San Dimas wash. Aside from his 
individual orchards, in association with Doctor .Montgomery he owns 
foothdl lands which they are also planting t<. citrus trees.' On the 
organization of the Tirst National Bank of San Dimas. as well as the 
San Dimas Savings Bank, he was elected a member of the board of 
directors, his valuable services being appreciated by the members of 
the directorate, who retain him as president of both institutions Ik- 
has been interested in the growth of San Dimas. and is the owner of 
several prominent business blocks. 

In politics Mr. Johnstone is a stanch Republican of the pro- 
gressive type. His services were recognized in an appreciative manner 
during the autumn of 1902, when he was elected to represent the 
Seventy-sixth Assembly District in the State Legislature, being re- 
elected in 1904. He was not a candidate in 1906, as he carried out 
a much-cherished plan of a trip to Furope, where he spent considerable 
time visiting the British Isles as well as the Continent In I9P he 
xvas an alternate to the National Republican C.nvention at ChicaLm 
and attended the conxention in June of that year as a supporter of 
Theodore Roosevelt. In 1912 he was again elected a member of the 
State Legislature and in the session of 1 9 1 ^ was elected speaker pro tcm 
and was a member of the committee on rules. During the session he 
introduced the water code entitled the State Water Commission \ct 
\vhich was duly passed and became a law; he also introduced a number 
of other important bills and took a prominent part in enacting useful 
legislation, among them the fertilizer-control law. the forester law the 
hrst appropriation locating the Davis School of Agriculture, the state 
and road law providing for cooperation between the state and county 
m road construction. He was appointed a member of the State Wuer 
Commission by Governor Johnson in 1 9 1 5, an office that occupies much 
of his time and to which he gives his best efforts. .\lr. Johnstone was 
one of the organizers of the San Dimas Orange (.rowers Association 
and was its president for fifteen years; he was also active in the oruan- 
./ation ot the San Dimas Fruit Fxchange. Always believing in the 



504 mSTom' AX I) lUOGRAPHV 

cooperation of fruit men, he uas originally a member of the first 
association formed in the \'alley, in the Claremont Orange Growers 
Association, the Indian Hill Orange Growers Association, and was 
a member of the San Antonio Fruit Exchange. 

The marriage of Mr. Johnstone took place in Pomona in 1902 
and united him with Miss Alice li. Bost, who was born in Excelsior, 
Minn. Her father, Iheo Bost, was a native of Geneva, Switzerland, 
a descentiant of I'rench Huguenots who fled from I-"rance to Switzer- 
land at the time of the re\ocation of the Edict of Nantes. Mr. Bost 
came to Minnesota, where he was a pioneer and frontiersman, passing 
through the hardships and Indian troubles incident to life in southern 
Minnesota in the early days. Mr. and Mrs. Johnstone are the parents 
of two daughters : Margaret Alice and Dorothy Adele. 

Fraternally Mr. Johnstone is prominent, being made a Mason 
in Covina Eodge, F. & A. M., from which he was demitted and is now 
a charter member of San Dimas Lotlge. He holds membership in 
Pomona Chapter, R. A. M.; Southern California Commandery No. 
37, K. T. ; Los Angeles Consistory, S. K. ; and Al Malaikah Temple, 
A. A. O. N. M. S. He is also prominent in club life, being a member 
of the Union League Club and tlic City Club in Los Angeles, and the 
Commonwealth Club, the Engineers Club and the Masonic Club of 
San Francisco. With his wife, he is a member of the Union Church 
at San Dimas, while Mrs. Johnstone is also active in ci\ic and club 
circles, being a member of the Wecinesday Afternoon Club of San 
Dimas and the Ebell Club of Pomona. 

As a member of the State Water Commission, Mr. Johnstone's 
able services have been given to conserve the water — the greatest asset 
of Calif(n-nia — and to render equal justice to all in the intricate ques- 
tions and problems that come betore the commission. In every post 
of honor accepted by him he has gl\en dignified and noteworthy ser\ice. 



FRANK W. BALFOUR 

A pioneer of Pomona \'alley, and one of the most prominent men 
of the district during his lifetime, Frank W. Balfour left a record of 
achie\'ement in public-spirited work for the ad\ancement of the welfare 
of his city and county which stands for all time in the annals of this 
section of California. A nati\e of F.ngland, with some of its best 
blood in his veins, Mr. Balfour was born in London, April 30, 1865; 
his father was a general in the English army, and his mother a lady 
of title in that country, and Mr. Balfour was related to Sir Arthur J. 
Balfour. He received his early eclucation at St. Edmund's College, and 
finished in an institution in France, graduating as a civil engineer. 
Later he took a course in the Electrical Institute, London. 



IllSToUV A.\l) laoGUAl'llV 505 

After finishiiif^ his education, the young I'.nglishman sought newer 
Hckls in which to begin his career, and his first move was to Canada, 
where he engaged in the cattle business. Two years later, in 1S87, lie 
came to Los Angeles. The "boom" was then in full swing in that 
citv, and he immediately became identified with the ci\il engineering 
firm of James T. Taylor & Company, and took part in platting this 
county and laying out its towns. He had been in Pomona when the 
town was laid out, and helped in that first development work, and 
returned to the \'alley and spent ti\c years in the orange industry; anil 
also served as assistant postmaster for that length of time. lie then 
became the first district manager of the Southern California Power 
Company, which was succeeded by the Edison Company, and for 
fifteen years he held this position, up to the time of his death, which 
occurred April 24, 1915. He was a veteran district manager of the 
concern, and was highly regarded by tiie company. 

.Mr. Balfour's first business in life being that of an engineer, he 
naturally took an acti\e interest in all good-roads mosements after 
making his home in the N'alley. He took the initiatise in most of the 
public meetings which led up to the concentration of effort on the 
system of highways which now unites the cities of this and adjoining 
counties. He was a member of the State I'.xecutive Committee of the 
Tri-State Ocea.n-to-Ocean Highway, ami always attended the meetings 
of that body. He was at the front of the campaign for the State High- 
way, which now connects all the citrus cities with the world at large. 

In recognition of his public-spirited efforts for the advancement 
of the welfare of his district, Mr. Balfour was chosen as president of 
the San Gabriel \'alley Associated Chambers of Commerce, in which 
were represented sixteen towns and cities. Among other public duties, 
he was chairman of the board of health of Pomona, and reappointed 
to that office shortly before his death. 

The marriage of Frank \V. Balfour, which occurred in 1890, 
united him with Louise K. Maddock. a nati\e Califtirnian. born in 
Oaklantl, the daughter of a pioneer who crossed the plains with ox 
teams in early days and helped lay out the city of Oakland. Two 
children were born to .Mr. and .Mrs. Balfour: Lillian, now the wife 
I if Henry Parry, who was in I'rance in the Medical Corps of the 
Lnited States Army; and Clyde of San I'rancisco. .Mrs. Balfour is 
prominent in club circles in Pomona, and in church work as well. She 
is a member of the I'bell Club. 

1- raternally, .Mr. Balfour was one of the most prominent mem- 
bers of the Knights of Columbus in this end of the state, having served 
the order as treasurer of the state lodge, and for three terms as district 
deputy of this, the ninth, district, which office he held at the time of 
his death; in the Pomona Lodge he hail tilleii every office. He was 
a charter member of the Illks, and tilled all the chairs of that order, 



30r) IIISTOUV AM) lUoc'.kAl'llV 

being a past exalted i-ulcr and one of the most active of its workers. 
He was also a member of the P\)resters and ol the Fraternal Aid 
Association. 

In the death of Mr. Balfour, Pomona lost one of its most \alued 
citizens, and public recognition of his loss was shown by the act of 
Mayor V'andegrift in ordering all flags on city buildings to be placed 
at half-mast; to ha\e business brought to a standstill during the funeral 
service; and his fellow-citizens immediately started a movement to 
have a suitable engraved bronze tablet placed in the Elks' home in 
Pomona, in recognition of the valuable ser\ices he rendered the lodge. 
Hundreds of messages of condolence were received by his family from 
all parts of the country, at the passing of one of Pomona's most honored 
citizens, and his loss was keenly felt in the community where he had 
been prominent for so many years. 



ALBERT ALLEN BECK 

A full and e\entful life has been the portion of Albert A. Beck, 
who has weathered both prosperity and adversity, and has built his 
fortunes anew with unfailing optimism. Born in Canajoharie, Mont- 
gomery County, N. Y., May 21, 1844, he was raiseil on a farm in 
that state. At the outbreak of the Civil War he enlistetl in Company 
B, One Hundred Fifty-seventh New York Infantry, and served three 
years, receiving his discharge May 24, 1865, after seeing action in 
several of the important battles of the war; among them the battle 
of Honey Hill, S. C, on No\'ember 30, 1864, when he was 
wounded through the leg, his officers being Col. Philip Brown and 
Capt. Charles \nn Slyke; the battles of Predericksburg, Chancellors- 
ville, Gettysburg, and Morris Island, opposite Fort Sumter. In 
August, 1865, he enlisted again in the regular army, in the Sixth 
United States Ca\-alry, Company I, and saw ser\ice in New iSIcxico 
and the Indian wars, imder Captain Adna K. Chaffee, who later be- 
came commantler-in-chief of the L-nited States Army. He spent three 
years on the border and saw acti\'e service in many Indian wars. 

After lea\ing the military service, Mr. Beck located in Cowley 
County, Kans., where he was engaged in freighting into the Indian 
Territory; in 1871 he took up government land in Cowley County and 
farmed and freighted until 1874, when he came to California, l-or 
three years he was in Los Angeles, and while there he came to Pomona 
in 1875, then but a small village. He returned to Kansas and again 
took up land and impro\ed a farm. During the time he was there he 
leased his farm and went to Colorado, where he mined for about six 
months, but did not i-calize his ambitions, so he returned to his farm 
antl farmed Lintil 1SS7, when he once more came to California. He 



I- 









'^ 





11IST( )RV AM) I;i()|-.K.\1'11V 509 

settled in San Dicjijo (Or three years, ami during tliat time lie spent 
the year of ISSS in the placer mines in Lower Calilornia; lie diii not 
get rich, but he made wages, and he wears a nugget as a souvenir ot 
his mining ilays. In 1S90 he located in I'omona anti for a time worked 
at ilrsing truir. He iiad lost everything recelxeil from the sale of 
his Kansas farm in the real estate boom in San Diego in ISSS-lSS'^^, 
and when he arri\ed here he had just titty cents as his capital. lie 
worked at any kind of labor to get a start, and soon bought two a^res 
of land on West ( )range CJro\e A\enue, to which he aikled, in 1S9S, 
four more acres, all of which he planted to oranges and walnuts. All 

of this is now in the city limits of Pomona. He succeeded in Ir 'i- 

ing with his limited area, and in 1918 his walnut crop ru: i 

over -Si, 00(1. 

Though the years have brought him many trying times, he is 
well and hearty at the age of seventy-tive and is enjoying his declining 
years in the peace ami prosperity of beautiful Pomona. A member 
of the G. A. R. Post of Arkansas City, Kans^ having joined in 1S7S, 
he was transferred to the Post in San Diego, but when he came to 
Pomona he transferred to \'icksburg Post No. 61, of Pomona, of 
which he is still a member. He is a member ot the lirst Christian 
Church. .Mrs. Beck was active in church work as well as in the 
Women's Relief Corps. 

(Jn November 17, 1877. A. A. Heck was uniteil in marriage with 
Mary ]■.. Hrash, born in Illinois, and of their six children five are 
still living. William H. now lives in Pomona, ami is the father of a 
daughter; lannie M. is the wife of William Ilorsewood of I-os An- 
geles and the mother of three chiklren; Bertha became the wife of 
G. Blewett and she has three children; Albert H. was a member of 
the supply train division of the United States Army, served with the 
ThirtA'-second Division of the Army of Occupation in Germany, and 
was overseas for eighteen months. He was honorably discharged antl 
is now at home; Roy A. is on the home ranch with his father. .Mrs. 
Beck passed away on November 17, 19tl9. after an active ami useful 
life, and was mourned by a wide circle of ilev oted friends. 

On July 3, 1913, while on a visit I'.ast in attendance at the liftieth 
reunion of the Battle of Gettysburg of the Blue and the (irey, .Mr. 
Beck dug up a small cedar tree which he sent to Pomona, and it was 
planted in Garlield Park, on I.ast Holt Avenue. In 1919 he selected 
a California boulder, hail an appropriate plate engraved and set in 
the rock and it was placed as a monument by the tree he had secureil 
from the historic battlefield by Park Superintemlent Paige, whose 
father was also in the Battle of Gettysburg. Mr. Beck maile another 
trip back Hast to attend the G. A. K. Convention at Columbus, Ohio, 
leaving Pomona on October 4. 1919, and after spending three weeks 
meeting relatives and old friemls he returned to his Pomona home, 
well satisfied that he had cast his lot in the (iolden State. 



510 !1IST(.)RV AXl) I'.IOGRAPHY 

JOHN S. ADAMS 

A man who has attained the ripe age of seventy-five cannot fail 
to ha\e had a rich and varied experience in the school of life. John 
S. Adams, Pomona's septuagenarian orange grower, was born June 
14, 1844, in the territory of Iowa, two years before it became a state, 
and now, when seventy-live years young, he is spending the afternoon 
of life amidst the orange gro\cs of Pomona Valley. 

He was reared and educated at Cedar Falls, Towa, and can recall 
many interesting experiences in his early life that occurred in his native 
state. He followed the occupation of carriage making in Waterloo, 
Iowa, and was also general agent for Iowa for the St. Paul Harvester 
Company and sold many of their harvesters in Iowa. In 1887, a 
young man in his prime, he came to San Diego, Cal., where he fol- 
lowed the trade of carpenter and wheelwright, and helped build the 
Coronado Beach Hotel, later setting up all the machinery and working 
as wheelwright in the shop owned by the hotel company. While living 
in San Diego County he ownetl two ranches, one at Campo and the 
other at Lyons Peak. He returned to Waterloo, Iowa, and after 
sojourning there four years came back to California, this time selecting 
Pomona as his place of abode, where he was employed in the carriage 
shop of the Pomona Implement Company. Being an expert interior 
wood-worker, he was called to Los Angeles to do the finishing on many 
of the fine homes in that city. While in Pomona he owned a five-acre 
orange and lemon grove in San Dimas, which he sold later. His 
present ten-acre lemon and orange ranch is located on North Glen 
Street. Mr. Adams does all his own budding and has recently budded 
250 trees to ^"alencia oranges. In 1918 his 500 six-year-old lemon 
trees yielded $1,000 worth of fruit. 

He has been twice married. His first wif.e, who was Miss Phoebie 
Beckley of Waterloo, Iowa, before her marriage, bore him six chil- 
dren: Jessie and Jennie, twins. Jessie is Mrs. Mock of Glendale, 
Cal., and the mother of four living children; Jennie is Mrs. Skeele of 
La Jord, Saskatchewan, Canada, and is the mother of four li\'ing 
children; John B., of Morrillton, Ark., was city postal deliverer of 
Waterloo, Iowa, for about ten years. He has eight children; Anna, 
formerly a school teacher, later a graduate from Hahnemann Hos- 
pital, New York, who is now a professional trained nurse in Bakers- 
field Hospital in charge of the X-ray department. One son, Darwin, 
was in the railway mail service and later a fumigator, and Katie died 
in San Diego. Mr. Adams' second wife was Miss Alma E. Harroun, 
a native of Minnesota, but a resident of Mason City, Iowa, before her 
marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Adams have many warm friends, and they 
have the confidence and esteem of all who know them. They are Re- 
publicans and advocates of temperance, and members of the Christa- 
delphian Church. 



IIISTOKV AXn r.loCRAl'lIV 511 

JOSll'll .M()R(.AX I'AK.r: 

A protkiciit aiui iiiHiicntial public otiicial ol I'oinona who is nuith 
interested in the clevelopmcnt of Pomona \'alley, is Joseph Morjj;an 
Paige, superintendent of parks, whose efficiency is shown in the suc- 
cessful care of more than 120 miles of trees. Me was born near 
Sedalia, Pettis County. Mo., on September 13, 1867, the son ot 
Charles Anson Paige, a natise of \'ermont, who married Louisa 
Morgan, a New Yorker. Charles Paige was a farmer and the lirst 
school teacher in his county. Me was a member of Company 1", ioLirth 
Vermont Volunteer Infantry, ser\ing o\er three years, and was 
wountled at the Battle of the Wilderness. Me died at the age of 
seventy-three. Mrs. Paige is still lising at sexenty-five, the mother 
of seven boys and two girls. 

The olciest child, Joseph was educated at the rural schools and 
followed farming until he was twenty. After that he moved to Texas 
and was engaged in agriculture, and then he went to Kansas City. 
Avhere he worked for a short time at the tinner's trade. Me matle good 
progress and prospered in all that he undertook, but he had a lo\e for 
flowers and resolved to enter a field where he might build permanently. 

Removing to St. Louis, Mr. Paige entered the famous Botanical 
Gardens establishcil in 1870 by Mcnry Shaw, the luiglish-American 
philanthropist, and consisting of 190 acres, ami for thirteen years and 
seven months he prosecuted work there, having charge of the depart- 
ment of construction for the last six years of the course. Mr. Paige 
was then connected with the Forestry and Fish Department of the 
Lewis and Clark Exposition, in Portland, as one of the assistant super- 
intendents, and at the close of the fair he went to Watsonville, Cal.. 
where he was in the employ of the Pord Mercantile Companv. Then 
he went back to St. Louis for a year and while there diil post-grad- 
uate work. 

In 1907 Mr. Paige came to Pomona, and on Januarv 1. two 
years later, he took charge of his present responsible work. Me lalil 
out Lincoln and Garfield Parks, artistic conceptions of his own crea- 
tion, the grounds around the City Mall, the borders of many public 
roads, and conceived the idea of building the Greek Theater in 
(janesha Park. Me has been president for three terms of the Arboro 
Horticultural Association of Southern California, and is chairman 
of the Parks, Roads and Improvement Committee of the Chamber of 
Commerce in Pomona. 

Mr. Paige is a director of the Pomona Chamber of Commerce 
antl also of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of the San (iabriel 
\'alley, ami president of the Boy Scouts Council f)f Pomona N'allev. 
Me is a director of the local Red Cross, and helped as captain in all 
the war drives. Me is superintendent of the Mrst Baptist Church 



312 IIIST( )K\ AM) I'.K )C.k Al'in' 

Sunday Sciiuol, and vice-president ol the Southern Cahlornia Baptist 
Sunday School Convention, and also a director of the Y. M. C. A. 

Mr. Paige was married on April 26, 1900, at St. Louis, Mo., to 
Miss Mary L. Harding, by whom he had a daughter, Edna May. He 
was married the first time in St. Louis, August 24, 1891, to Marie 
J\lizabeth Beaumont, who died in 1896, leaving one son, Clyde Anson, 
a corporal in the United States Army, a member of Company A, 
Twelfth Infantry, Eighth Division, and was on board a transport when 
the armistice was signed. He received his discharge and is now in the 
office of Architect R. H. Orr. The family attend the Baptist Church. 



Hl'RBERT CLAR1-; FOSTER 

The life history ol the early pioneers of California is indeed 
inspiring, demanding as it did perseverance and resourcefulness to 
meet the new and untried problems of their day, but no less important 
in its way has been the ele\elopment of a new generation, traineci to 
handle the developing resources of the ct)untry, for to the men who 
ha\e organized the citrus intlustry of this state is due a large measure of 
creilit for putting this great industry on a prosperous and profitable 
basis. Prominent among the men who ha\e had a guiding hand in this 
organization is Herbert Clare Poster, well known through his connec- 
tion as manager of the San Dimas P'ruit Growers Exchange. 

A Canadian by birth, Herbert Clare Foster was born in Simcoe, 
Ontario, on June 20, 1876, and is the son of William (_). and Helen J. 
(Austin) Foster. The father was of Scotch-Irish descent and the 
mother came of an oUl Maryland family. Her death occurred in 
1919, and William O. I-'oster now resides with his son Herbert, the 
subject of this review. Herbert Clare Foster was fortunate in receiv- 
ing an excellent education which has proved to be an in\aluable asset 
in all his later undertakings. He first attended the public schools at 
St. Thomas, Ontario, and then took a preparatory course in the Col- 
legiate Institute at St. Thomas, after which he was with his father in 
the drug business. In 1894 iie came to Cleveland, Ohio, where he was 
the representati\'e of a type\\ riter exchange for about two years. 

In 1896 Mr. Foster entered the employ of the Southern Cali- 
fornia Fruit Exchange at Buffalo, N. Y., ami in 1897 he was trans- 
ferred to the Chicago office of the exchange, where he was actively 
engaged until 1900, when he was made district manager of the Cen- 
tral Illinois District of the exchange, with headquarters at Peoria, III. 
Being desirous of coming to California, he resigned his position in 
1912, and coming here he accepted the position that had been tendered 
him as secretary and manager of the San Dimas Fruit Exchange, 
which had just been organized; thus he was the first manager of the 
exchange after its organization, a position that he has held uninter- 
ruptedly e\er smce. 







^^^^^^^^B. mf ^^^^^H 




^^^1 




II1ST()R\' AND I'.lt H'.k \I'1I^■ .M3 

Mr. Foster's marriage in Chicago, III., uniteil liiin witli Mrs. 
Florence (.Maxwell) Riitter, ol" whom he was bereaved in 1915; one 
child was born ol their union, a son named Herbert .M. .Mr. ioster's 
second marriage occurred in August. 1919, when lie was united with 
Miss Helen Fngland, a native ot N'alley balls, Kansas. 

Politically. .Mr. Foster espouses the platform ot the Repulilican 
party ami in fraternal relations he afliliates with I'omona Lodge, 
Knights of Pythias, borce of character ami business acumen are the 
traits that haye contributed to the success he has attained in life, and 
haye made him a valued member of the community. He takes a con- 
structive interest in all tilings pertaining to I'omona \'a]ley, is public 
spirited and esteemed by all who know him. 



FRFD F. AND FRANK i:. 1 I.I.SWORTH 

Fwo thoroughly wide-awake and progressive business men. rep- 
resentative in every way of the Pomona spirit, who are well and favor- 
ably known throughout the \'alley, to which they came when they were 
iust attaining manhootl, are I- red ].. and b rank I '.. I'llsworth, ])ioneer 
building contractors, natives of Greene County, Wis., where they were 
born on .\ugust 29, 1862. Their father, Lorenzo Fllsworth, who came 
from New York, followed a mercantile business at Rochester and later 
moved to Wisconsin, where he locateil near Monroe, in Greene 
County, and took up farming. In 1870, he moved to (joodhue County, 
Minn., about twenty-five miles from St. Paul, ami in 1887, the time 
of the great boom in realty in California, he pushed still further \\'est, 
to La \'erne. in the Pomona \'al!ey. The smiling acres and other 
favorable contlitions inciilcntal, brought him prosperity: and he was 
able to retire as the years passed by. He died at Pomona, in 1907, at 
the age of ninety-two, while his wife liveil to be eighty-live years oKi. 
She had been Miss Sarah Jane Taft. They hail live children : I'!mma, 
who became .Mrs. Hartman Lofimis of Minnesota; Minnie, the wife 
of F.ri Loomis. also of that commonwealth; bred F. and Irank F., 
the subjects of whom we now write; anil Ida .May, atterwartls Mrs. 
A. J'.. Barnes of Pomona. 

As boys, back in NA'isconsin, b reii and brank tollowed tarmirig, 
getting a first-class preparation in agricultural work before, in 188.3. 
they came further West, to La \'erne. then Lordsburg, and became 
pioneers in the undeveloped I'omona \ alley. I heir uncle, J. A. 
I'ackanl. hail preceded them here, and had bought 170 acres of raw 
land, to the north of Lordsburg. now known as the F.vergreen Ranch, 
ami they set to work with a will to develop the place. At first, grapes 
and deciduous fruit were raised, and later these were dug out and 
<iranges planted. They brought the place to a high state of cultiva- 
tion, ami I- rcii was for twelve \ears foreman of the ranch. \Mien they 



516 HIS'^OR^' AXU lUoC.RAI'Fn' 

left, they had 100 acres planted to oranges, and now all of the acreage 
is devoted to the cultivation of that fruit, and the place is one of the 
most productive in the Valley. 

For a year, I'red was foreman of the Indian Hill Packing Plant, 
and then the two brothers engaged in the fruit and grocery business 
in Pomona, until 1909, when they entered upon contracting and build- 
ing, in which they are now engaged. They have uniformly tione fine 
work, and among the notable places built by them in the Valley may 
be mentioned the home of C. R. Clark, three houses for Harry H. 
Denny, the F. D. Baker residence, a residence costing $4,000 in Pasa- 
dena and a modern bungalow at Altadena. In Delano they built five 
houses for the Fred L. Haker Company of Los Angeles, and they also 
constructed three other residences there for Mr. Northey. Together, 
the Messrs. Ellsworth own an orange gro\-e of ten acres, all of seven- 
year-old trees, in the Monte Vista Tract, east of San Bernardino Ave- 
nue — choice property, reflecting the good judgment of the purchasers 
and developers. 

Both of the brothers have been married. Fred became the hus- 
band of Miss Sophia Herring, a native of Minnesota, at Claremont, 
on May 17, 1887, and she is now treasurer of the home missionary 
society of the Methodist Church, in which organization he has been 
active for many years. He is now affiliated ^^■ith the Trinity Methodist 
Church, has been treasurer of the Sunday School since the church was 
organized and is now chief usher. At La Verne, Frank married Miss 
Stella Barnes, who died in the spring of 1919, the mother of two 
children, Paul and Ruth, and honored and beloved by all who knew 
her. Both Fred and Frank Ellsworth belong to the Fraternal Aid, and 
thev are also Odd Fellows. 



CHARLi:S V. GILLETTE 

The importance Pomona has attained as a city and the promise 
of growth and development in the near future has brought the best 
talent in all branches of business to her environs. Charles V. Ciillette, 
the well-known painter and interior decorator of Pomona, was born 
in Hayes City, Kans., August 4, 1881. He was but six years of age 
when he accompanied his parents to California, in 1887. llie family 
settled at Stockton, San Joaquin County, and young Charles received 
his education in the public schools of that city. When sixteen years 
of age, in 1897, he went to San 1^'rancisco and learned the trade of 
painter and decorator with a man experienced in that line of work. He 
followed this trade in San Francisco until April, 1906, when he was 
dri\en out of the place by the disaster that o\ertook the citv in the 
earthquake antl fire which followed it. He came to Pomona in 1906, 
where for two years he was in the employ of William A. ^^^ndegrIft. 
He then began contracting on his own account, and has been engaged 



HISToKV AM) lUOCRAl'lIV 519 

in this business e\cr since. He is the leader in his line of work in 
Pomona and is noted for the excellency of his work and its artistic 
qualities. He makes a specialty of insiile work, ami e\en in dull times 
is kept busy. In 1913 he was called to Los Angeles to do the work on 
one of the large apartment houses in that city. He diil the decorating 
on the new Opera (jarage. the Hotel A\is and the Claremont High 
School, and among the tine homes that he has decorated in Pomona 
mav be mentioned the residences of Lee Pit/.er, William A. lox, 
W.L. Wright and Col. F. 1'. Firey. 

He married Esther Welch, June 20. 1906, daughter of V.. H. 
W elch. the pioneer of North Pomona, and they ha\e two children, 
Irving and lAerett by name. 

In his religious convictions Mr. Gillette is a member of the First 
Christian Church at Pomona. Fraternally, he belongs to the inner 
guard of Pomona Lodge Xo. ln7, K. of P., and is a member of 
Pomona Lodge Xo. 246, F. & A. M. 



AMHRICLS BFXFZETTK AVIS 

A substantial business man who brought with him from the East 
the valuable experience of nearly two decades, is Americus Bcnezettc 
Avis, the hardware dealer of Second Street. He was born at Lincoln. 
Gloucester County, X. J., on February 14, 1856, the son of Paul Avis, 
who was long prominent in county offices, and Sarah ( Benezette) 
Avis, both of whom are now dead. 

The oldest child of seven children born to this union. Americus 
was educated in the public schools, and when he was ready for a busi- 
ness career, he engaged in the hardware business at Vinland. X. J-. 
where he remained in that line for eighteen years. Despite the fact 
that the field was not equal to his capacity, he nevertheless laid theri' 
the foundation in experiment and experience of his later and larger 
successes. 

In 1903 he came to Pomona, and reestablished himself by starting 
his present business. In January, 1904, he bought his present business 
property, and there he has since been closely identified with the life 
of the town. In May, 1919, Mr. Avis incorporated his business as 
Avis Hardware Company, himself as president and Charles I{. Otto, 
vice-president, and his daughter. Fthyle Avis, secretary and treasurer. 
He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and has ser\ ed as one 
of its directors for two terms. 

In Vincland. X. J., on April 20. 1SS6. Mr. Avis was united in 
marriage with Miss Phoebe Angeline Wilcox, of Philadelphia, Pa., 
and two children have blessed their union, Ethyle, as above stated, 
secretary and treasurer of the Avis Hardware Companv. and Paul, 
who scrvcil in the I nitcd Staffs Armv in Frnnce, as a sergeant of 



520 iriS'lXjRV .WD I'.IOCKAI'IIV 

Company B, One Hundred Sixtieth Regiment of Infantry. The 
family arc members of the First Methodist Church, where they are 
especially popular, Mr. Avis being chairman of its board of trustees. 
Mr. Avis is a Mason and belongs to the Lodge, Chapter and 
Commandery in Pomona. But fond as he is of fraternal life and his 
many frienils in the orders, he also likes hunting and fishing, and re- 
joices to find himself in Nature's great outdoors. Southern California. 



JOHN BRADFORD CAMP 

Noted throughout the Valley as the man who first used the fumi- 
gating method in the preservation of orange groves, John B. Camp 
of La Verne deser^•es mention as one of the early citrus growers ot 
this section and the inventor of the baboon tent used to fumigate the 
trees and save them from the insect pests which at one time threatened 
to destroy the orange industry here. Born on a farm in Tennessee on 
June 24, 1844, Mr. Camp came of a family who were opposed to 
slavery, and when the Civil War broke out, he espoused the cause of 
the Union. He was conscripted into the Confederate Army and hid 
in the woods for a year to a\oid ser\'ing in their ranks. Din'ing this 
time he had many thrilling experiences with Confederate soldiers. He 
was finally captured and bayonetted, but made his escape and helped 
five other prisoners to escape also. He made his way from near Chat- 
tanooga for 300 miles through the mountains of Tennessee and Ken- 
tucky, finally reaching the LInion Army near Lexington, Ky. lie then 
made his way to the home of a brother in Illinois, who sent him to 
school for four years at the LIni\ersity of Chicago. He was a student 
there at the time that Lincoln was assassinated and was one of the 
procession of 75,000 that marched through the streets of Chicago. 

He then returned to Tennessee and engaged in the mercantile 
business, and during his residence there he was married to Miss Mary 
D. Bridges, daughter of Col. George Bridges of the L'nited States 
Army. Later they mo\ed to Kansas, where he engaged in stock farm- 
ing, but was dri\en out by the grasshoppers, losing all that he had 
accumulated. Coming to California in 1874, Mr. Camp came down 
the Valley on the first passenger train operated by the Southern Pacific, 
in 1875. He liveil in Riverside for five years, being engaged in the 
nursery business. In 1880 Mrs. Camp passed away, and Mr. Camp 
took his three little motherless chililren back to Tennessee to his 
people. In 1881 he returned to Ri\-ersidc, and well remembers in 
December of that year seeing snow eleven inches deep all over the 
Riverside plain, and improvised sleighs being driven through the 
streets of that city. 

In 1882, Mr. Camp purciiased thirt\' acres on San Antonio A\'e- 
nue, Pomona, improving the property to grapes and (.leciduous and 



]I1S1'< )\<\ AM) r.K 'C.K \l'll\ 3J1 

citrus fruits. He sank nine woils in the Loop ami Meser\e I ract and 
was one ot the starters of the Citizens Water Company. I le still owns 
16(1 acres on Brown's I'lat, north of Claremont. .\ man ol etiucation 
and breadth of interests, .Mr. Camp during his residence in Pomona 
took a keen interest in its uphiiiliiinjr and assisteil whenever possible in 
its further ilevelopmcnt. lie has the honor ol makin<r the lirst ettort 
to give the people of California, ani.1 also ot the whole country, the 
right of the initiative, the referendum and the recall. In I S92 he was 
president of the Los Angeles County Farmers Alliance, and induceil 
that organization to petition the Legislature to incorporate such a 
measure in the constitution. Such a bill passed the Assembly, but did 
not reach the Senate. IVaternaliy, .Mr. Camp has been tor many years 
a Mason, being a member of the Blue Lodge, Royal Arch Chapter and 
the Council, all of I'omoiia. ( )ne son, ()rin, lives to carry on t!ie 
familv name. 



\VII.LI.\.M K. COON 

.An orange grower who. liespite the difficult problems of a science 
still in the making, has "made gooil" here, thereby contributing some- 
what to the development of I'omona and the increase of its wealth, is 
William R. Coon, who was born at Iroy, \. \ ., on July .^, 1 SS.^. I lis 
father was one of the toumlers ot the Cluett-Coon Company (now 
Cluett-I'eabody Company), the famous collar makers, ami he enjoved 
the best of educational advantages. He attendcil ^'ale College am.! 
graduated from the Shettielil Scientific School, in 1904. Then, for two 
years, he was engaged in the wall-paper business at New \ Ork Citv . 

Coming to California and Pomona in 1907, he decided to master 
orange growing; ami, with his customary methods of thoroughness, he 
set about to begin at the lowest round of the ladder, or at least to start 
out with the simplest operations and facts. I"or a year he vvorkeil as 
a common laborer on an orange ranch, and then he bought a grove of 
thirteen acres on .Mountain Avenue in the Kingsley 1 ract. I his grove 
had been badly run ilown : but he so improved it that later he sokl off 
three acres, and now he has ten acres left. For a number of vears he 
did his own work in developing the property, thereby more surelv 
mastering the game and at the same time becoming more and more 
robust with the outdoor experience; but nf)vv his operations are more 
extensive, requiring help. He also owns a grove of six acres on lifth 
Street. Ontario, and this he also improv eil. He recently bought three 
acres within the city limits of Pomona, on which he plans to build 
a fine home. 

With R. B. Denny of Claremont as a partner. .Mr. Coon owns 
two more groves, which are being improveil. .\ few years ago he 
started a mail-order business, selling oranges direct to the consumer, 
all over the country, and he adv ertiseil in the Country Cientleman that 



522 HISTORY AXD lUOC-RArilV 

he would ship three dozen oranges, neatly packed, for $1. express 
prepaid. He received orders from nearly every state in the Union, 
and even from Honolulu, and worked up such a large business that 
it proved a gooci advertisement for California, and especially for 
Pomona Valley. He also packed and shipped small boxes of oranges 
of the tangerine \ariety under the "Coon Brand." With twehe in 
a box, the sales ran from 7,000 to 10,000, and this lively business has 
been maintained. He has also made a specialty of buying direct from 
the grower and shipping oranges east. He was a director of the 
Claremont Citrus AssociaticMi and also a director of the Packard 
Water Company. 

On October 2, 1909, and at Claremont, Cal., Mr. Coon was 
married to Miss Jeannette Durbin, a nati\"e of San Diego County, and 
at one time a student at Pomona College. Three children ha\e blessed 
the union — Dorothy F., Margaret E. and William R.. Jr. The family 
attend the First Presbyterian Church of Pomona. 



CHARLES P. CURRAX 

It would be difficult to find a man more emphatically in accord 
with the true Western spirit of progress, or more keenly alive to the 
opportunities awaiting the intelligent man of affairs in Pomona ^ alley 
than Charles P. Curran, who has built up a successful lumber busi- 
ness, and identified himself with the best undertakings of his district. 
A native of Illinois, Mr. Curran was born in Dixon, May 4, 1863, 
a son of Daniel and Catherine (Donoghue) Curran. His father was 
a prominent contractor and builder of Dixon for forty years. 

Educated in the public schools of Dixon, Mr. Curran entered 
the high school there, but did not finish the course, and for a time 
worked with his father, later joining him in business for a number 
of years. In the spring of 1895, he came to California, and settled 
in Xorwalk on a ranch for one and one-half years. Then, because 
of his wife's health, he went to Prescott, Ariz., stayed there the same 
length of time, and finally took his wife back to Illinois and her death 
occurred in Chicago, in 1898. After this sad event .Mr. Curran 
worked for a time at Polo, 111., then returned to California ant! for 
several months worked for the gas company in Los Angeles. 

In June, 1902, he came to Pomona, and with his brother, 1- rank 
Curran,; opened the lumber yard with which he has been so success- 
fuly identified ever since. He later bought out his brother's interest 
in the business, and now his sons are a part of the firm, which still 
maintains the firm name of Curran Brothers, Incorporated. 

Mr. Curran's first marriage united him with Miss Alice Mc- 
Cirath, the ceremony taking place September 20, 1890. Two sons 
were born to them: Phillip L- \vh<) ser\-ed with the United States 



yXiim lu i i.iu •. : and fjcrahJ. I he wife and rrioth ' ' ■■'jary 
24, iH'JH. 

f)n lebruary 20, 1913, Mr, Curran was uniteij in t. i 

( , " ^ ■- ' V- ■ \ . - . . ,,,^ 

the \'allcv, Mr. Curran has proven an active worker towan: 1 

(>; ^ ' ^ . ■'• 

serving on the board; he was one of the original organizers ui the 

Home Builders /^ f this city. .Mr. ( ^ 

of the original i> a<Je here ancJ has i . , . :i 

years been on the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce; 

for the same length of has been ! 

Board. In fraternal orgj / . -ns he is a mc . .; , ; . . .. . A 
the Knights of Pythias. 

i:d\v.\kd f. gimj.n 

.\ ]i • jre in J' 

charat *• . ._, jv menta. ,.,..- , ^s 

idem ing his residence here with the development of the Valley, 

both '• -n 

in L..^ . -... -. ._ n 

fifteen vears of age, worked on a farm during the summer months, 
and ool in winter for several years. ' 1 

Irai.^,. . . -.;iy, graduating from that institution •: 

years of age. 

After finishing his college course .Mr. ( > ' 

Nebr., and went into the real estate busine-> .. .-. ,. tc 

successful until the state suffered from several drv vears. In the fall 
of 189.3. Mr. Gillcn with his family mo\ ed to I' I 

there he ■■■■■■■"/■■] in the U"--- '-■ business; thi- , .... .. 1 

to give I. ount of . and in N* 1895. o 

San Antfjnio, 1 exas. where he was f the \. SI 

C .\ " ■'.^'■.^''r. ►^■-•- •■■^^rion unt,, ,, .. , ., ■■, , ;,'. That year 

Mr. c. .Md,. to work for the Historic Reff>rd 

Company in the gathering of \ data, ami ■> 

work for about six years. He .^ ■., .mpiled two ,..^ ■,, ,, ,;w,,cs 
of rhc state of Utah. 

The marriage of .Mr. Gillen. December 29 

Ntiir.. united him with Bertha I., d- i fivu .. ; .^ . n 

to them: I arle C. Lloyd William. M . Annn H h 

.Marguerite. Two of these, Lloyd and i,. two 

vears of age. Mrs.''." - ' - " h- 

ter of \V. B. and Ja . r 

fath cteran of the Civd War: as a member of an Ohio 



52<-> mS'l'( )RV AXI) liK n:\< \l'\\\ 

regiment he was captured ami a prisoner ot war ui Andcrsonxille ior 
six months. 

The family mo\ctl from Chicago to Los Angeles, and in the 
summer of 1899 he became interestetl in the Belgian hare industry, 
and maile three trips to England to get the best pedigreed imported 
stock. Mr. S. j. Chapman and Mr. Ciillen were partners in this work 
and were quite successful for the short time that they gave to it. After 
closing out this venture, Mr. Ciillen again took uj) his historical work, 
until the spring of 1903, when he mo\ed to Pomona and purchased a 
seven-acre orange gro\e, on Kin.gsley antl Orange axenues, ami here 
made his home, and li\ed until his death, which occurred October 17, 
1914. 

During his years of residence in Pomona Mr. (jillen agaui en- 
gaged in the real estate business, and was interested to a considerable 
extent in the citrus industry, owning, besides his home ranch, a ten- 
acre grove on Holt Avenue, and a five-acre grove on Kingsley A\enue. 
In addition to these holdings he was the owner of numerous city lots 
and some business property here. He was a member of the board of 
directors of the Chamber of Commerce, ami president of the Repub- 
lican Club, and always \-ery much interested in city affairs and the 
upbuilding of Pomona. P'raternally he was an active worker in the 
Odd Fellows lodge, in which order he was a past graml of the subor- 
dinate lodge, a member of the Encampment and of the Rebekahs. 



JOSEPH ELLIOT 

The mind can coniure no picture in the line of fruit-growing so 
beautiful or attractive as an orange gro\-e, and this a'sthetic side of 
the culture of the orange appeals to the imagination of the Easterner 
as strongly, perhaps, as the millions that How into the coffer annually 
from the sale of this delicious fruit. 

Men from all states of the Luiion can be found among the suc- 
cessful orange grove owners of Southern California. Among these 
Joseph Elliot of l-'omona \'alley is entitled to mention. He was born 
in Allen County, Kans., October 12, 1874, and reared in the town of 
Colony, Anderson County, In the Sunflower State. In 1891. at the 
age of seventeen, he came to Pomona, and, like many other young 
men, worked In the orange gro\es of the Valley. He was in the 
employ of the LIndsey Brothers of Ontario, setting out orange groves, 
and helped set out many of the producti\e gro\es in Pomona \'alley 
and was largely instrumental in the tle\-elopment of the industrv. 

I'or ten years be followed the barber's trade at Pomona and 
Co\ina, and In 1902 piirciiased his present fi\-e-acre place at the corner 
ot Alexander and P'ast Kingsley A\enue. He has a finelv de\'eloped 
orange orchard, one-half of \\hlch Is planted to \a\el and the other 
half to Valencia trees. He has also tifteen tweI\e-vear-old walnut trees 



IllS'n )\<.\ AM) \:U n\\i \\'\\\ 



ami a t'ariiilv orchari.!. Ilic property was utulL-xclopcil at llic time he 
liouylit the laiul and he set out all the trees ami lievelopeii the place 
himself. In 1916. his 192 \'alencia trees protkiceil 1,50(1 boxes of fruit, 
and 192 Na\el trees proiluced SHO hoses of fruit. lie has installeil 
a tine ceinent-pipe system of irrigation on the property ami is the 
owner of a manufacturinji; plant of cetiient pipes lor irrigation jiur- 
poses. He does this work in his spare time, and has installed a number 
of irrigation systems in the \'alley. His wide acquaintance with and 
excellent knowledge of the orange imlustry, coupled with gooil juilg- 
nient and industry, has enableil him to make a success of the business. 
I lis marriage united him with AK a M. Robker, a nati\ e daughter 
of California, whose father was among the early pioneers in .Metulo- 
cino Countv, who engaged in the lumber business. Their se\ en chil- 
ilren are: \'erna, Frances, Alfred, .Margaret, Maxine, Ruth and 
Phyllis. In his fraternal affiliations .Mr. I'lliot is a Moose. 



FRANK C. lAANS 

An old settler who so far succeedeil in casting his lines in pleasant 
places, when he came to Pomona, that now. in comfortable retirement. 
he needs only to look after his ranch property, is Frank C. F\ ans, who 
was born at Boston, Mass., on I-"ebruary 14, 1849. At the age of 
twentv-two he rcmosed to Lowell, in that state, and derkeii in a meat 
market: and on June 1 1, 1873. he arrived at Los Angeles. Soon after. 
he took up 1 60 acres of government land adjoining the San Jose ( jrant. 
near what is now La \'erne, and later lost the same; and later, in 1876, 
he took up the same number of acres in Section 132 in the Live Oak 
District, and, proving it up, became the second man to settle in that 
neighborhooci. He still owns eighty acres of the land originally 
granted by the government, which is devoted to the raising of grain, 
fruit and bees. 

In 1884 Mr. livans came to I'omona, and his previous experience 
in the meat business becoming known, he was offered a position as ff)re- 
man and bookkeeper of the Chino Ranch Markets. In 1912 he retireii 
from the meat business, with the satisfaction of having contributed to 
the proper guidance of Pomona commercial affairs. 

Mr. r"vans was fortunate in his marriage, at Chino Ranch, to 
Lillian M. Watt, an attractive lady of Canadian birth, by whom he 
has had six children: Harriet is the oldest, then come Harold, I- rank 
anil Kathleen, and the youngest are F.dward and Maileline. 

Surrounded by interested au(.iitf)rs, .Mr. Flvans never fails to enter- 
tain with his stories' of early, frontier days. When he came there were 
only a few white people in the N'allcy. and antelope roameii at vv ill ; 
and while the Indians prospected for gold, he searched for the yellow 
dust in Palmer Canyon, the only ilistrict where gold was founil in the 
\'alley, ami brought it into Pomona, where he sold it for S 18.5(1 an 



328 . illS'l'ORV AM) I'.K )(">RAIM 1 V 

ounce. Men needed to have brawn as well as brain in those strenuous 
times — although it was not long before brain counted for as much as 
muscle and other physical entlurance. 



JOHN S. BILLHEIMER 

One of tlie leading and most progressive men in San Dimas, 
who by his energy ani_l enterprise has contributed greatly to the up- 
building of this section is John S. Billheimer, secretary and manager 
of the San Dimas Lumber Company, a successful business man and 
financier. He was born in Jonesboro, lenn., April 1(1, 1864. His 
father, Rew Isaac Billheimer, was a minister of the gospel in the old 
days when he preached gratis and farmed for a li\'ing. In 1872 he 
removed with his family to Clinton County, Ind., where as a minister 
he did much good and was a much loved and highly respected man; 
his death occurred in 1910. Mr. Billheimer's mother was Salome 
E. Sherfy and she died in 1879. She was the mother of six children, 
of whom John S. is the eldest; he was reared in Clinton Comity, Ind , 
from the age of eight years, whither his parents had remo\eil in 1872. 
Here he received a good education in the public schools, which was 
supplemented with a course at Mt. Morris College, Mt. Mt)rris. 111. 
Then he made his way to Kansas in 1885 and taught school near 
Lawrence, Franklin Comity, until 1887, when he satisfied a ilesire to 
come to the Pacific Coast and located in Pasadena, where he \\as en- 
gaged in business until 1901, nearly all of which time was spent in the 
lumber trade. While thus engaged he completed a commercial course 
at the Pasatlena Business College, an accomplishment he has since 
found of great \alue and benefit to him. 

Finding a good opening for a lumber yard in Lordsburg, now 
named La \ erne, he organized the Lordsburg Lumber Company, of 
which he has since been president and general manager. He estab- 
lished a lumber yard in that prosperous locality and has met with 
pronoiniced success. When the name of Lordsburg was changed to 
La \''erne they named the company the La \"erne Lumber Company. 
From his ad\'ent there he supplied San Dimas with lumber, and seeing 
the need of a yai\l, he organized the San Dimas Lumber Company in 
1904 antl established the lumber yard. He had also supplied Clare- 
mont with lumber so he also organized the Claremont Lumber Corn- 
pan}, and was its president until he sold his interest. He is now secre- 
tary and manager of the San Dimas Lumber Company, a business that 
has grown to very large proportions. 

He resided at La Verne se\'eral years, and then moxed to Los 
Angeles. \n 1909 he purchased a ten-acre orange grove on North 
San Dimas Aveniie, and the same year he mo\ed onto it and en- 
gaged in citrus cultm'e. The orange orchard Is fortunate in its loca- 
tion, being one of the most desirable home sites In Southern Call- 



1IIST( )]<\ AND I'.K iC.k.\riIV 531 

I'ornia. In 1910 lie was elected a director ot the San Dimas ( )ranti;e 
Cirowers Association, aiul in 1919 was elected vice-presiilent ot this 
association. He is also a tlirector anti \ ice-presiilent of the lirst 
National Hank of San Dinias, as well as of the San Dimas Saxini^s 
Bank. 

In Co\ina oceurreil the niarriajre of .Mr. Hiliheinier, when he 
was united with Miss Anna I,. 0\ erholt/.er, a natl\e daughter, horn 
at Tracy. Her father, Samuel A. 0\erholt/er, crossed the plains to 
Calitornia in 1864 anil engaji;ed in farminjf in San Joaquin County 
for many years. lie then located at Co\ina, where he hecame a citrus 
grower. .Mr. and Mrs. Billheimer's union has heen blessed with two 
children, Glenn I., a graduate of Bonita high school, who learned the 
lumber business under his father and is now holding a responsible 
position with the I-",. K. Wood Lumber Company at San Peilro; and 
\'era, a student at "Broad Oaks," Pasadena. Always interested in 
education, he is a trustee of Bonita Union I ligh school, and has taken 
an active part in making for that school the high and accretlited stand- 
ing it enjoys, haxing ser\ed two years as president of the boanl. 

In his religious convictions Mr. Billheimer is a member of the 
Christian Church, in politics he supports the Republican platform, and 
in his fraternal affiliations he is a member of San Dimas Lodge of 
Masons, a member of the Maccabees and of the Woodmen of the 
World. Mr. Billheimer is never idle, but an inxeterate worker, lead- 
ing a strenuous lite because it is not alone his own business that en- 
grf)sscs all of his time, but he dc\otes much of it to matters and posi- 
tions to which he has been selected by his fellowmen: thus in his liberal 
and enterprising way gi\ing of his time and means as far as he is able 
towards the improvement and advancing the standard of education 
and morals in the community. He is a \ery domestic man, enjoving 
and taking pride in his family and home. He is well and favorably 
known for his integrity and honesty of purpose, as well as his quickness 
of perception and sagacity of judgment, and is deserving of having his 
name perpetuated in the annals of the history of Southern California 
as a man who has done his share in helping to develop the country 
and in adding to its material wealth. 



I HI D C. JACOBS 

One of the rising young men ot I'omona, who has exitlenced his 
ability anil given promise of a brilliant, because a highly-useful future, 
is Fred C. Jacobs, the assistant manager of the Pomona I- ruit (irowers 
Lxchange, and a successful orange grower as well. I le was born at 
Jamestown, N. D., on December 27, 188.^ and when three years of 
age came west to Denver, Colo., with his parents. He attendeil the 
Denver public schools and later learned stenography and typewriting. 
l"or a while he was in the employ of the Denver & Northwestern 



53.' 111ST( )\i\ AXl) i;i()C-RAI'in' 

Pacific Railway, and later cntereil the service of the Rocky Mountain 
Fuel Company. When, after four years with that well-known concern, 
he left their employ, he had attained to the responsible position ot 
tra\elinii; auditor. 

Ill 1909 he came to I'omoiia, and en^agetl as bookkeeper with the 
Pomona bruit (irowers I'lxchantre, a position he filled with his usual 
conscientious application to routine duty until he was gix'en a still better 
chance to show what he could and would do as assistant manager. He 
is now also secretary and manager of the Claremont Citrus Association. 

When Mr. Jacobs came to marry — at Den\'er, Colo., and on 
May 15, 1909 — he chose for his bride Miss Zoe L. Burdette, a native 
of West Virginia and a member of a family distinguished through the 
famous humorist. Bob Burdette, of late years also a resident of Cali- 
fornia; and two sons ha\'e come to bless their happy home. Fred B. 
is the older, and the other is named Byron l'. Jacobs. Both were borii 
in Pomona. i\Ir. Jacobs is a Knight Templar Mason, and for three 
years he servetl as secretary of the local bodies. 



CAPT. CHARLES J. FOX 

Although a native of England, where he was born at Manchester, 
October .11, 1842, Capt. Charles J. Fox has no memory of the land 
of his birth, for he was but one year old when he accompanied his 
parents to the United States on a sailing vessel, which maiie the trip 
in three months. 

He was reared at Pontiac, Oakland County, Mich., and is a 
veteran of the Cix'il War, having enlisteil in 1864 in the Fourth Michi- 
gan Infantry. He was lieutenant in his company and later captain in 
Company H, under Col. J. W. Hall, and saw service in Tennessee, 
Alabama, Mississippi and Texas. He still carries the bullet by which 
he was injured in guerilla warfare In one of the many skirmishes that 
he participated in in Tennessee, ami among the relics in his home is 
the gun he was shot with, which was taken from the guerilla, and 
which he prizes very highly. Fie served on the general staft at San 
Antonio, Texas, ami had charge of cleaning up the city. In those days 
San Antonio had but fifteen thousand population. The Captain wears 
the button of the Loyal Legion, of which he was a member, and after 
brilliant service, he was mustered out at Houston, Texas, May 26, 
1 866. At the close of the war he returned to Pontiac, Mich., and was 
appointeil and served several years as revenue assessor in Alichigan. 
He was also the proprietor of a clothing store at Pontiac, which he 
sold in 1888, and went to Seattle, Wash., where he engaged in the 
making of brick, twelve miles from Seattle. He founded, laid out and 
built up the town of Pontiac, Wash., and was its first postmaster. He 
was a member of the firm of the Pontiac Brick and Tile Company, 
which dill a large business, ami their brick was used in man)- of the 



iiisT( my AND r.n )C.k xi-in' 5.v? 

public huilclings, anioiif;; others the Dciiiiy I lolcl Block, the Court 
liousc, anil the Burke Block at Pontiac, Wash. 

In November. 1890, while on a \!sit to Pomona, Cal., Captain 
Fox purchased t\\cl\ e acres of one-year-olii orantje trees in the Packard 
Orange (iro\e tract, from J. l',. Packard, anil in 1 S93 came to Po- 
mona to locate permanently, where he has since li\ed on his orange 
grove. I'he place is \cry productive, is well kept and is one of the 
attractive places ftmong many beautiful homes in Pomona. 

I'he marriage of Captain Fox was solemni/ed in .Miciiigan, June 
2, ISSl, and united him with Miss Arabella \V. Kirby, a native of that 
state. Jhe children born of their union are: Charles Kirby, a ci\il 
engineer of Los Angeles: Lillian Buirne, who was secretary of the Red 
Cross at Pomona during the late war: and William I L, a mechanic 
of I lollywood, Cal. 

Mrs. Fox is a very active member of the Daughters ol the ,\mer- 
ican Revolution, and Captain Fox is one of the original members of 
the Pomona Fruit Cjrowers Exchange, being the seventeenth person 
to sign up for the exchange. In his religious con\ ictions he is a mem- 
ber of the I'"piscopaI Church. I le was a member of the Dick Richard- 
son Post, Ci. A. R., at Pontiac, Wash., and stiil keeps the memory of 
past days green in associating with. the boys who served their country 
in its great stress in the sixties by membership in \'icksburg I'ost, (i. 
A. R.. at Pomona. He is also a member of the Loyal Legion of 
California, is identified with the .\Lisonic order at Pomona ami is a 
Knight Templar. 



jcjiiN wiLioRi) kj;isi;r 

Among the progressiv e, energetic young men of Pomona X'alley, 
J. Wilford Keiser deserves mention. He is the youngest son of 
William I", ami Elizabeth (Stoner) Keiser, and was born in \N'ood- 
ford County, 111., May 7, 188L Lie was seventeen years old when 
he came with his parents to Pomona Valley in 1 898. I le attended one 
term at Lordsburg College, then began the occupation ot I arming on 
his own account, renting a part of his father's ranch at La \ erne. He 
raised grain ami hay for eight years, and also set out a ten-acre orange 
grove. He solii the orange grove, purchased a lot on Ihirii Street 
at La N'erne, built a home, ami comluctcil the La \'erne luel ami leeil 
Store for two years. Lie was the third one in the family to own this 
business. He next bought a twenty-acre ranch in the Chino district 
and raised alfalfa and beets lor eight years. Disposing of this, he 
rented 1 20 acres of laml in Pomona \ alley, in San Bernanlino County, 
on which he has raisctl barley ami oats for the past four years. The 
barley runs fifteen sacks to an acre and oats cut for hay average one 
ami one-half tons to the acre. I Ic recently bought a six-acre orange 
grove of eighteen-year-old trees In \'al N'Ista I ract, west of (ianesha 



534 HISTORY AM) IMoC.KAi'J 1 Y 

Park. In 1919 he had seven acres planted to tomatoes, which were 
sold to the cannery. 

On June 2>, 1902, he niarrieii \ancy A. IJowman, a native of 
Indiana, and they are the parents of two children: Glenn W., born 
September, 1904, and Howard, born July, 1916. 

Mr. Keiser is a member of the Brethren Church. He is the 
owner of a new, modern home at 915 South White Avenue, Pomona, 
also a tract of ten and one-half acres in the Packard Orange Grove 
Tract, which he intends setting to walnuts and to make his home place. 



WELCOME A. BAUMGARDxXER 

A progressi\e rancher and his wife of a very aggressixe type, 
wlio ha\e come to play an enviable part in the development of agricul- 
ture in the Pomona Valley, is Welcome A. Baumgardner, who was 
born in Cabell County, W. Va., on February 15, 1852, and there 
reared on a farm. His father was James Baumgardner of West Vir- 
ginia, and he married Elizabeth Wilson, ilaughter of Samuel Wilson. 

Welcome Baumgardner learned both the trade of a blacksmith 
and how to be a good farmer, and he had a shop at Huntington, 
W. Va. In 1888 he removed to Carroll County, Mo., near Carrollton, 
and there he had another shop. Whatever he did, he sought to attain 
the best results, and the experience acquired in these earlier years 
proved later of the greatest \'alue when he threw himself in with the 
trend of progress along the bustling Pacific. 

In 1910 he located at Pomona, and the following year bought 
his present ranch of fi\-e acres of apricots and peaches. This gro\e 
was badly run down, but by intelligent management and hard work, he 
brought it up to a fine state of advanced cultivation. The three acres 
of apricots produced six tons the first year, thirteen tons the second, 
thirty tons in 1918, and twenty-two tons in 1919. Mr. Baumgardner 
continues to take the best care of the place, and he has built there for 
himself a modern bungalow. His peaches are of the Tuscany cling 
\ariety. Originally, Mr. Baumgardner came to Pomona on account 
of climate and opportunities, and has become a good "booster" for 
the Valley and its unri\alled climate. 

While at Barbersvilie, W. Va., in 1873, Mr. Baumgardner was 
married to Miss Isadora Bowen, a nati\'e of West \'irginia, and the 
daughter of Dyke and Sarah Ann (Davis) Bowen, and by her he 
has had eight daughters and one son, and all hut the latter are still 
lix'ing — a rather remarkable record of health and longe\'ity. Bertha 
has become Mrs. James A. Parker of Fresno, Cal.; Mownie is Mrs. 
J. B. Wilson of Carrollton, Mo.; Minnie is Mrs. J. A. Farley of 
Oklahoma; Alma is Mrs. Eugene Middleton of Pomona; Nannie is 
Mrs. \'irgil Roundtree of Pomona; Cirace is Mrs. Otto Williams of 
Elmer, Arizona; and Sarah is Mrs. C. W. Willis of XorbcMMie, Mo. 



HISTORY AXD I'.K )r.R.\riIV r.^7 

The eighth daughter, Miss Merle Baiinigarcliier, ami the only chiKl 
at home, is an accomplished musician, with a specialty ol the piano. 
She has studied with Professor Amlerson of Los Angeles, ami Pomona 
teachers, and is at present teaching piano in Pomona, being one ol tlu 
youngest teachers of real proliciencv in this difficult lieM in 1 .os Angele. 
County. 

Besides the eight tlaughters ot whom these dcxoted parents are 
naturally so proud, Mr. and Mrs. Baumgardner boast of twenty-four 
grandchildren and one great-grandchild. 

Mrs. Baumgardner is the treasurer of the Citrus Beit Milk (mat 
Association, ami has a line herd of pure bloodeil Toggenburg milk 
goats, with which she has taken leatiing prizes at a number of the goat 
shows in the Valley. 



LOLIS CARL KLINZ.MAX 

The world over, all cities and towns are judged in their material 
progress by the resourcefulness, expansion and solidity of their banking 
institutions. The beautiful town of La \'erne, in the Pomona \'a!ley, 
is ini.leei.1 fortunate in having as the president of the Farmers and 
Merchants Bank, one of its strongest and most up-to-date banking 
concerns, Louis C. Klin/man, a former Nebraska banker and successful 
farmer in that state. 

L. C. Klin/man was born on April 14, 1859. in Iranklin County, 
Pa. When ten years of age he went to Peoria County, 111., where he 
was reared on a farm, and when fifteen they removed to Chenoa. 
Livingston County, in the same state, where he completeil his educa- 
tion. In 1885. Mr. Klinzman migrated farther westward, locating in 
York County, Nebr.. w^here he became a prominent and prosperous 
farmer, owning two farms, each containing one-quarter section. The 
town of McCool Junction, Nebr., was laid out on his land, and .Mr. 
Klinzman was one of its founders and most prominent business i7ien. 
He was one of the organizers and a director of the Farmers and 
Merchants Bank of McCool Junction, Nebr., and still owns farming 
lands there. 

The lure of the (joKlen State appealed to .\lr. Klin/man so 
strongly in the year 1909 that he succumbed to its enticing offers and 
migrated to California, locating at La \'erne. During that same year 
he was instrumental in the organization of the First National Bank 
of La Verne, becoming one of the directors. Mr. Klinzman's conserv- 
ative policy as a financier and sound business judgment soon became 
recognized and he became thoroughly established in the confidence 
of the citizens of La Verne and vicinity as a financial leader. In 
February, 1916. he organized the larmers and .Merchants Bank of 
La \'erne, and became its president. F.ver since opening its doors the 
business of this bank has steadily anii securely increased. It is capital- 



53S IIISTOKV AM) lUOCRArilV 

ized at S25,000, and aside from its commercial business also conducts 
a saxings department. Ihe present officiary of the Farmers and Mer- 
chants Bank is as follows: L. C. Klinzman, president; George B. 
Cross, vice-president; Dayton S. Newcomer, cashier. The board of 
directors is composed of J. H. Price. Harry Belcher, S. M. Kepner, 
H. B. McCurdy and J. C. Pierson. 

In Monticello, 111., on February 14, 1885, Louis C. Klinzman 
was united in marriage with Lena Hammersmidt, a native of Germany 
who came to America when twelve years of age. This union has been 
blessed with five children: Flora E., wife of Chester McFadden of 
Nebraska; Lena P., assisting Mr. Klinzman in the bank; Louis L., 
who is managing his father's ranch in Nebraska; Mary Catherine, 
Mrs. J. M. Overholtzer of Pasadena; and Henrietta W.. at home. 
Religiously. Mr. Klinzman is a member of the Church of the Brethren 
and one of its trustees, and he has also served as member of the board 
of directors of La \'erne College. He is one of the most progressive 
citizens of La \'erne and has made his influence for good felt in the 
various departments of acti\"itv in the development of civic affairs. 



OSCAR G. KEISER 

The climatic and horticultural advantages offered by Pomona 
\'alley form a combination of diversified attractions drawing hither 
a splendid class of citizens, not only from all sections of the L'nited 
States, but from other lands. The subject of this review, Oscar G. 
Keiser, is a native of Woodford Countv, 111., \\hcre he was born on 
April 12, 1877. 

W. Thomas Keiser. his father, was born in Augusta County, \'a., 
September 5, 1845. During the Cixil War, he served with the Con- 
federate Army and was engaged in making saltpeter for explosives; 
afterwards he became a member of the home guards. When the war 
was over Mr. Keiser moved to Woodford County, 111., where he was 
successfullv engaged in farming 200 acres, raising oats, corn, hogs 
and cattle. 

Desiring to see more of the great West, and especially the Golden 
State, W. Thomas Keiser migrated to California in 1898 and pur- 
chased 160 acres of raw land, located south of La \'erne. Tjx^o years 
later he planted thirty acres to oranges, built three homes on the tract, 
and gave ten acres to each of his three sons. The remainder of the 
land he sold, and is now living retired from the active and arduous 
cares of ranching. 

When W. Thomas Keiser was married he chose for his life 
partner Elizabeth Stoner, a :iati\e of PennsyUania. and this union was 
blessed with three sons: Edward T. ; Oscar G.; and John W. Mr. 
Keiser. Sr.. is a member of the Church of the Brethren at La \'erne. 




'T.h.ujlu^ 



HISTORY AND r.lOGRAri IV . 541 

Oscar G. Kciscr accompanied his father to La \'erne in 189S and 
assisted him in the de\eh)pment of the orange grove. Alter selling 
the ten-acre grove given him hy his father, (^)scar engageil in the teed 
and fuel business, for eight years, at La \'erne, when he sold his business 
and purchased a ranch near Chino and engaged in raising sugar beets 
and alfalfa. In 1918 Mr. Keiser traded his Chino ranch for his 
present orange grove of ten acres, locateti on North Alexander A\ e- 
nuc, Pomona, formerly known as the Lindsey Ranch. It was on May 
22, 1917, that Oscar Keiser took possession of his present orange 
grove, and since then has greatly improved the place and has brouglit 
the grove up to a high state of production. 

On January 5, 1898, in Woodfonl County, 111., Oscar O. Keiser 
was united in marriage with Ida Salathe, a native of Illinois. Three 
children have come to bless the home life of this happy couple, F.sper, 
Verda and Lyle. The family attend the Church of the Brethren, at 
Pomona. 

I- RANK II. BALDWIN 

For the past two decailes 1 rank II. Baldwin, proprietor ol t!ie 
Glenholm Ranch, situated in the Packard Tract at Pomona, has been 
a resident of Pomona Valley; possessing the inherent qualities that 
insure success — sagacity. industr\- and thrift — he has, during b.is years 
of residence here, been a part of the growth and development of his 
section of the state, and has taken an active interest in the projects 
which have come up from time to time, advancing the resources of this 
productive region to their present stage of intensive cultivation. A 
native of Illinois, Mr. Baldwin was born in Yorktovvn, Bureau County, 
January 20, 1861. When he was a young lad his father removeii to 
near W^atertovvn, X. Y., and there operated a woolen mill, and at the 
age of ten Frank H. started to work in the mill. I ie aftervvarils re- 
turned to Illinois, anil rented land for two years ami farmed in White- 
side County, later purchasing the property. lie first owned 120 
acres, to which he made additions until his place comprised 24(1 acres, 
and he engaged in the dairy business, also raising sheep and tine horses. 

In 1899 Mr. Baldwin came to Pomona, and in the fall of that 
year purchased his present ranch, which originally consisted of tvveiv e 
and one-half acres \a ith trees coming two years old. I Ie added to 
this acreage until the place now Includes twenty-three acres, twenty 
of which is planted to oranges, two acres to walnuts, and one to a 
family orcharil. On acquiring the property, seven acres of the ranch 
had been set to prunes, which he replaced with oranges. I lis success 
as an orange grower was assured from the beginning, and his place is 
known as one of the best improved ranches in the \'alley. 

Nine years after locating in Pomona, Mr. Baldwin sokl his 
lllinf)is propertv and bought 14(1 acres near Chino. for which he paid 



542 HISTORY A.\l) I'.loC.R AIM I V 

$40 per acre; he sunk a well on tlie place and with 1511 inches 
of water seeded ninety acres to alfalla. In four years time he soUi 
the property for $30,000. In 1909 he purchased 1.957 acres near 
Creston, San Luis Obispo County; this he kept for a short time and 
then traded a part of it for a 200-acre ranch near Wasco, Kern County, 
which he still owns. Sixty acres of this land has been seeded to alfalfa 
and thirty acres is in grapes. Later he disposed of the balance of his 
San Luis Obispo property at a cash sale. His Pomona ranch is highly 
productive, and is an example of what thorough methods of cultiva- 
tion and management can accomplish in this section; he has tweh'e- 
inch cement pipes for irrigating purposes, and for some years was a 
director in the Packard Tract Water Company. His fruit is mar- 
keted through the Pomona Fruit Growers Exchange, and he is a firm 
belie\x'r in cooperation as a means of ad\'ancing the best interests of 
ranchers in any section. 

In Whiteside County, 111., in 1889, Mr. Baldwin married Miss 
Alma E. Lane, a native of that state, and they had two children, 
H. Lynn and Alene; the mother died in September, 1908. His secontl 
marriage, which occurred in Pasadena, Cal., in 1910, united Mr. 
Baldwin with Mary \i. Lane, a cousin of his first wife, and they are 
the parents of a daughter, Lorena. 

Prominent In Masonic circles, Mr. Baldwin is a member of 
Pomona Lodge \o. 246, F. & A. M., Pomona Chapter Xo. 76, 
R. A. M., Pomona Council, R. & S. M., and also Pomona Chapter 
No. Ill), O. E. S. Mrs Baldwin is present Worthy Matron of 
Pomona Chapter No 110, O. E'. S., in which she has been an actl\e 
worker and efficient officer. Mr. Baldwin has proven himself a real 
factor In the upbuilding of Pomona Valley and holds a prominent 
place among Its representati\e citizens. 



JAMES W. LAMONT 

Pomona \'alley has been notable In the past as a center for the 
successful production of citrus fruits, but Its future promises even 
greater possibilities for that industry. Fhe inauguration of exchanges 
throughout the country has played an important part in the citrus fruit 
industry In bringing producer and consumer together without the aitl 
of the middleman. 

James W^. Lamont, \\'ho holds the responsible position of manager 
of the La Verne Lemon Association at La Verne, was born on a farm 
near Aurora, Hamilton County, Nebr., December 1, 1872. Like many 
of our prominent men In commercial life, his early education was 
received In the country schools. At the age of seventeen he entered 
the employ of the Wells Fargo Express Company in Nebraska. Later 
he was with the Adams Express Company throughout Colorado, Wyo- 
ming, Montana, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas as express 



iiisTokv WD r.i( )<".K \nh' m;^ 

messenger and relict agent. This service covereii a ptrioil nt sixteen 
years on the lines of the Chicago, Burhngton & (Ju-.ncy Ruilruad. In 
1905 he resigned his position to come to Calilornia, and located at 
Long Beach, where he learned the undertaking business with A. C. 
Walker, and also speculated largely in real estate during the boom 
of 1905-6. Disposing of his real-estate holdings, and. resigning troni 
the Walker Company, he became interested in the citrus fruit industry 
of Southern California, with which he has since been associated. He 
located at Santa Paula, and after being in the employ of C. C. league 
for fifteen days on his large ranch, became assistant foreman of the 
ranch, retaining the position for live years. In 1914, when the La 
\'erne Orange and Lemon Citrus Association established their lemon 
packing plant, he was called to the position of foreman of the plant, a 
position he held until the organization of the La \'erne Lemon Asso- 
ciation, September 1. 1919, when he was selected as its manager. Five 
years ago the shipment of lemons was but fift}' carloads. Their busi- 
ness has grown to such an extent that they now ship about 200 carloads 
of lemons annually. 

Mr. Lamont married Miss Alta Jones, also a native of Hamilton 
County. Nebraska, and they are the parents of a daughter named 
Marion Jeane. Traternally, he has been associated with the Knights of 
Pythias for the past twenty years, and is a member of Pomona Lodge 
No. 107 of that order. 



HUGH A. TLLVrCHER 

A rancher so closely and honorably identified with the de\eiop- 
ment of Pomona \'alley and vicinity that he looks forward with keen 
interest to the further preservation of collected annals of the neighbor- 
hoods, is Hugh A. Thatcher, who is best known as the controlling spirit 
of the Pomona Packing Company. He was born in \'an Burcn Countv, 
iowa, on July 13, of the famous Centennial Year of 1876, the son 
ot Amos D. Thatcher, who was a farmer and did valiant service in 
the Civil War as a lieutenant of the Fifteenth ^'olunteer Infantry of 
Iowa, and is still living, at the age of eighty-two. Mrs. Thatcher was 
•Maliss^ C. Hartzell before her marriage, and she is now deceased. 
There were five children in the family, and the subject of our review 
was the youngest of the group. 

He received his early education in the public schools of Topeka. 
Kans.. and in Pomona, Cal., and later took an academic course in the 
University of Southern California, for he had come with his family 
to the Golden State in 1889, just after the great boom, and for two 
years had lived at San Diego. Later, they removed to Pomona, where 
I lugh entered the drug business as an apprentice. Eventually, he spent 
lourtecn years in the drug trade in various places, established in busi- 
ness for himself about half the time. 



544 HISTORY AND L'.IOGRAPHY 

When he sold his drug store at Los Angeles, he removed to 
Walnut, where he bought an orange ranch ; suice that time he has 
given all his attention to that interesting branch of California agri- 
culture, encouraged by a success not always ta\oring everyone. In 
1915 the Pomona Packing Company was formeil by Mr. Thatcher, in 
M'hich he acts as general manager, and it now employs, during the 
season, about forty people. Tt ships its own brands, the Belfry and 
the Abbey; and the quality for which they always stand has made these 
brands in constant demand — a demand, too, that increases each year. 

Tn Pomona, in May, 1900, Mr. Thatcher was married to Miss 
Inez Lay Quinn, a charming lady reared by Senator A. T. Currier, the 
daughter of Michael Quinn, who ser\'ed for about forty years as 
justice of the peace at I'd Monte and li\ed for fifty years in the house 
where he died. Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher have one child, named 
Currier. Mr. Thatcher is a Republican, but a broad-minded one, and 
ready especially to cast partisanship aside when called on to support 
local movements. He belongs to the Masons, the Blue Lodge and the 
Royal Arch Chapter, and Pomona Lodge No. 789, B. P. O. Elks, and 
is fond of outdoor life, spending his vacations at Laguna Beach. Mr. 
Thatcher has seen the development of this Valley since first locating 
here in 1891, and with the exception of five years in Ventura County 
has li\cd here during all those years. 



E. J. LEVEXGOOD 

Known as one of the best judges of horses now li\ing in the 
Pomona Valley, as well as a rancher of more than the ordinary ability, 
E. J. Levengood has been identified with the best interests of this 
section of the state since ills arri\al here in 1898. He was born in 
Jackson, Mich., October 2, 1 866, recei\ed a good school education 
and struck out for himself in 1889, when he came to California. He 
worked for a time in San Francisco, then went to the San Joaquin 
Valley and later to Yolo County, and during this time he became 
familiar with the various sections of the state. In 1898 he came to 
the Pomona Valley, bought a team of horses and drove across the 
country into Arizona, where for the following eight years he followed 
teaming to and from the mines. 

In 1906 he decided to come back to California, and he brought 
with him a banil of 125 wild horses, which he sold in the Pomona 
Valley. For the following fifteen years Mr. Le\'engood furnished 
many of the horses that took part in the chariot races at the Pasadena 
Tournament of Roses, also drove some of the chariots and won his 
share of prizes. He has been engaged in buying and selling horses in 
this immediate section of the state for many years, and there Is no 
better judge of horseflesh in this section than he. 



IIIS'IV >K\ \\I) I'.K >C,K \|'11\ 547 

In connection with his interests lieie Mr. I.eNeiit^ood hns :ils() 
engaged in raising grain and alfalfa near Hlythe, in the I'alo Wrde 
Valley, and in this line of endeavor he has also made a success. He 
leased some .320 acres of laml near Pomona and upon it raiseii crops 
of wheat and barley, and has thus demonstrated his ability as a rancher 
as well as a judge of horses. 

Mr. Lexengood was united in marriage with Mrs. .Mary ]'li/:i- 
bcth (Lamb) Hamner, born in Salt Lake City, the ilaughter of 
William Lamb, who became a pioneer of Pomona X'alley. By her lirst 
husband. William Hamner, tiiere were two children: Jessie, Mrs. 
O. H. Kuehne, and Anson K.. both of Pomona. Mrs. Lexengood 
shares with her husband the good will and esteem of a wide circle of 
friends in this part of Los Angeles County. .Mr. Levengood is a life 
member of the Elks Lodge at Flagstaff, Ari/.. 



JOHN A. .\fcLLOD 

Although it will be five years J-ebruary 25, I92l), since John A. 
McLcod passed to the Great Beyond, his memory still li\es in the 
minds and hearts of many warm personal friends. He was horn at 
Acton, Ontario. Canada, October 3, 18.^9. and after growing to man- 
hood's estate became a prominent farmer in Acton section. Ontario. 
Canada, where he was interested in a stock and dairy farm. Some 
time later he followed the same occupation in Walkerton, Canaila. 
and in 1SS9 removed to California, where he worked for a time on 
the Bullock Kanch at El Monte. Lie then purchased a live-acre orange 
grove in the Packard Orange Gro\e Tract at Pomona ami developed 
this young orchard into a gooti producing gro\e. I le took great 
interest in orange culture. Lie had the misfortune to lose his life 
companion many years ago, and having no children willed the Pomona 
orange grove to his sister, Mora McCannel. who makes her home on 
the place, of which she has taken excellent care and which yields a 
haniisome income. John McLeod was a public-spirited and pro- 
<jressi\e citizen and had many warm friemls. 

Mrs. Llora McCannel was born at Acton, Ontario. Canada. 
She was Miss Flora McLeotI before her marriage, and is of Scotch 
descent. She married John .McCannel, a native of Scotland who came 
to (Jntario, Canada, at the age of eighteen. He followed the occupa- 
tion of farming in Canada, and later removed to Wvoming. where 
he was interested in the cattle business. He dictl in Wvoming many 
years ago. Mrs. McCannel was a wiilow when she came to Pomona 
in 1902. She is the mother of four children, namelv, luiphine. .Mrs. 
Margaret Windsor, .Mrs. .Mamie Whitehead and Annie .McCan- 
nel. who died in 1914. She has also three grandchildren. In her 
church associations she is a member of the Christadelphian Church, as 



548 IIISTURV AND UluGRAl'llV 

was also her brother, John A. McLeod. Mrs. McCannel is a woman 
of energy and industry, thoroughly qualitied to assume the manage- 
ment of the homestead and conserve its best interests. 



HARRY S. PRAIT 

An orange grower of California who has attained unusual success 
not only in that difficult field, but also in previous studies and ventures 
requiring knowlecige, experience and pronounced native ability, is 
Harry S. Pratt, proprietor of the La Encina Ranch, on Mountain 
Avenue, and also a ranch on East Cucamonga Avenue, east of San 
Antonio, where he makes his home. He was born at Cambridge, 
Middlesex County, Mass., on August 22, 1867, and educated in the 
Cambridge public schools and the Bryant & Stratton Business College 
at Boston, where he especially fitted himself for the responsibdities of 
life. His father was Francis L. Pratt, a native of Massachusetts, and 
he married Miss Mary A. Brown, wh(j was born in New Hampshire, 
and, in accord with the traditions of their I'Jnglish and New England 
ancestry, they gave the lad e\ery educational ad\antage. While still 
in Boston, Harry Pratt spent three years with the I\ers & Pond Piano 
Company, in their factory, and thei-e \ery thoroughly learned the piano 
business, specializing in the tuning of high-class musical instruments. 
This gra\-itation toward the study of the piano was in keeping with his 
early fondness for music and the example and influence of his father. 
Besides ha\ing been the incumbent of a city office in Cambridge for 
o\-er a quarter of a century, and a leader in cl\ic affairs, Francis Pratt 
was long well known as a singer of more than ordinary ability, and 
gave great pleasure to public audiences with his fine bass voice. 

On account of his health, Harry S. Pratt came west to California 
at the age of twenty, and during the same great year of the boom 
entered the employ of the Bartlett Bros. Piano Company, now the 
Bartlett Music Company. At the end of three years' service there, he 
mo\ed to Pomona, on April 30, 1890, and for vears followed piano 
tuning in the Valley. In November, 1899, he bought out the piano 
business of W. B. Ross, formerly the Bassett Music House, the first 
to start in Pomona, and only after fifteen years of undisputed success 
as the proprietor of the Pratt Music House did he dispose of the 
valuable property. 

As long ago as 1890. Mr. Pratt bought his first grove of sc\-en 
acres of oranges in the Kingsley Tract, known as the Meade place, 
but, selling the same, he now owns two tine orange groves of ten acres 
each, one on Mountain and the other on East Cucamonga Avenue, fine 
producers of both Navels and Valencias. So well has he cared for 
these that iluring a period of six years they a\-eraged 6,000 field 
boxes, while for the past two years 7,000 boxes ha\e been taken from 



IllSToRN' AND I'.loCR Al'IIN' 549 

there. His home ninch, the grounds aiui house of which he is ^''^'atly 
improving, is a gro\e ol choice acres on J\ast Cucamonga A\eiuie, arul 
there two-tliiriis of the acreage is Je\c)teii to Na\els anil one-rliinl to 
V'alcncias. I-'or years Mr. Pratt was secretary and director of the 
Claremont Citrus Association, and through that organization, as well 
as the I-'l Camino Citrus Association ot Chiremont, he still packs 
his truit. 

.Mr. Pratt was married to .Mrs. \'irginia (Broadwell) I'.mhree, a 
native of SpringtieUl, 111., a daughter of Judge N. .\1. Broadwell, who 
was born in New Jersey, lie came to Illinois ami stuilieii law in the 
office of Abraham Lincoln and was afterwards a law partner ot Shelby 
M. Cullom ami William Springer. He married \'irginia lies, also 
a native of Springtield, whose father, Washington lies, came from 
Kentucky to Sangamon County, entered lanil ami obtained a patent 
in 1825. Ihe parchment deed, signed by President John Quincy 
Adams, is now in the possession of .Mrs. Pratt. 1 lis brother, Maj. 
Elijah lies, located the city of Springlield and built the lirst store. 
Mrs. Pratt has a daughter, I'dinore Embree, by her lirst marriage. A 
son of Mr. Pratt by a former marriage, Lowell Clark Pratt, was in 
the recent World War as a member of the One Hundred Sixtieth 
United States Infantry, and saw seven months of service in France, and 
he is at present a student in Columbia College, New York City, class 
of 1920. 

In national politics .Mr. Pratt is a Republican, thereby pleasantly 
continuing the bias of his father, who was an anient abolitionist, a 
soldier in Company C, lorty-third Massachusetts Regiment, in the 
Civil War, and a member of the Graml Army ot the Republic. Harry 
Pratt has a summer home in Bear \'alley on Big Bear Lake, and there 
he hies himself away whenever in need of stimulating fishing and 
hunting. 



JERRY \ 1.1 WIS 

.\ \ ery progressive citrus iMiicher who participates in the pros- 
perity of the Pomona \'alley he himself has helped to create is Jerry 
N. Lewis, who was born in ()ttumwa, Wapello Count\, Iowa, on 
October 12, 1859, and atteruled the country schools of his district 
while he grew up ami learned to tarm. When a young man, he locateil 
in De Kalb County, Mo., anil there continued farming, and then he 
remo\eil to .M(jnte \'ista, Colo., where he was in the livery business 
and was also rural mail carrier uniler the pioneer Star Route. 

In 1897 .Mr. Lewis came to Calitornia ami Pomona, and, like 
many others, he commenced work here by picking and packing oranges. 
This day-laboring in the citrus tieUl maile him familiar with conditions 
ami problems ami fortunately prepareil him for enterprises of his own 
in fli'- ^. 1111,- direction. 



550 lUSI'ORV AXl) r.loGRAI'IIV 

III 1910 he bought his present orange grove on North Alexander 
A\enue, a line tract of eight acres, with which he has proxen a success- 
ful grower. I le has given the trees the best ot' care, Mhlle applying 
the latest scientific methods of treatment, and the average production 
of the gro\c runs from 4,500 to 6,600 boxes yearly. His place was 
formerly the old Rose Ranch, and had twenty-year-old trees, and his 
Navel and Valencia oranges are of the best. Indeed, whate\er be the 
secret of his methods, Mr. Lewis is able to secure results far beyond 
those of even longer experience and operating under e\ en more favor- 
able conditions. Considering the enviable position to which he has 
attained, it is natural to find him a member of the Claremont Citrus 
Association and the Del Monte Water Company. 

When Mr. Lewis was married at Monte Vista, Colo., in April, 
1896, he chose for his wife Miss Laura Greesley, a native of Ne- 
braska and the daughter of P. J. and Isabell Greesley; and husband 
and wife attend the First Methodist Church. He belongs to the 
Woodmen of the World, and also to the Knights of Pythias of 
Pomona. 



ABRAHAM H. VEJAR 

Few early Californian names are associated more agreeably with 
the sway of the Spaniard on the Pacific or with the Spanish-American 
contribution to the de\elopment of the Golden State than that of the 
family of Abraham H. Vejar, who was born at Pomona in 1877, and 
reared on the ranch of Ramon ^^ejar, his father, more detailed refer- 
ence to whom is elsewhere niadc in this historical work. As a boy he 
worked on the home ranch and attentled the public schools of La 
Verne, playing around on land that was long part of the great family 
estate, and helping to prepare land that he was unaware, at that time, 
he would some day own. 

Now Mr. X'ejar has eleven acres, a part of the old home ranch, 
an(.i this he has developed into a walnut orchard, principally budded 
walnuts. They are all doing finely, aiul help to make the little ranch 
a "show place" of the neighborhootl. 

Mr. Vejar also owns a walnut gro\e of six acres, three acres of 
which are ele\en-year-old trees, and gives his oixhard such good care 
that they yielded In 1918 two tons of nuts, while the other three acres 
are in new trees. ILuing the advantage, perhaps, of much that is 
worth knowing to the citrus and other ranchers handed down in the 
^'eiar family as so much certified tradition, Mr. Vejar has been able 
easier to arrive at the best results, and in many cases has succeeded 
where others roumi about are still experimenting. 

Xot long ago Mr. Vejar erected a fine, modern California bunga- 
low on his home property, and there, after the manner of his princely 
progenitors, he offers an old-time hospitality to frientl and stranger 



K? 


f1 


^^^^'-^ 


tM^^I 


^^^/^JlJH 


r^^i 


^^I^^^V^ 


^^ 




^ j|^' ^i'^ jH^^^^^^H 


hhI 


^1 




-y^jn^^thc^ , 



UIS'l'URV AND IIIOC.KAIMIV 551 

alike. In l'i)mona, he marricil Miss Nellie Sal/ar, a native ilaiijihier 
born in San Bernardino and educated in the convent in l.os .\nij;eles; 
her death occurreil in 1914. Mr. \ ejar is a member of the Roman 
Catholic Cluirch and also ol the Knights ot Colinnbus. 

It would be strange if one so happily connected through lamily 
tics with the historic past could not tell many a yarn worth the hearing; 
and, when in talkative mood, Mr. \ ejar has many good anecdotes of 
pioneer days. He likes to tell especially of the old horse races, held 
in Spadra when he was a small boy; they were for half a mile, straight- 
away, and when the race was over, the whole crowd usually rode down 
to Pomona, where they all talketl over the happy recollection of the 
past races, the satisfactory outcome of the present race, and the gooil 
luck of the races vet to come. 



JOHN \. l()RBi:S 

Ihe able financial secretary of Pomona College, John |. I-Orhes, 
is also a prominent laml developer in the Claremont ilistrict. Ik- 
was born at Waukesha, Wis., .March 20, 1S69, and after leaving 
college as a young man entered the employ oi one of the largest house 
lurnishing and decorating establishments in the .Middle West, at 
Milwaukee, Wis. Starting in at the bottom round of the hukler he 
learned all branches of the business, and later, when a ilrv goods com- 
pany absorbed the institution he resigned his position and started a 
business of his own under the firm name of Maxwell, I'orbes anti Still- 
man Company, of Milwaukee. The lirm, which is still in existence. 
is now known as the Maxwell-Ray Company. With his partners .Mr. 
Forbes built up the finest and most exclusive business of its kind in 
the Middle West, i'hey made furniture to order, planned, designed, 
made interior decorations, etc., and took contracts for the complete 
interior work of many public buildings, hotels, private residences, 
clubs, etc. Their establishment compared favorablv with the largest 
and most artistic establishments in the country. Thev liealt in choice 
(JricTital rugs, and furnishings that appeal to the high class of trade 
to which they catered. .Mr. Forbes came to California in \')()} and 
located at Faguna Beach. \'oluntarily he raised the funds ami super- 
intended the erection of the .Marine Faboratorv building at that place 
for Pomona College, and turned it over to the college free from i"- 
tlcbtedncss. Locating at Claremont in the fall of the same vear, he 
has been closely allied with Pomona College and as financial secre- 
tary of the college has had charge of the expansion work. I le had 
charge of the million dollar campaign, raising that amount as an en- 
dowment f'or the college. Since then he has brought forward another 
campaign, which is ncaring the second million dollar mark. I lis busi 
ness experience, keen judgment and quickness of decision have been 
very helpful in solving financial pmlilcms and intricate matters i:i the 



552 I-IISTORV AXD UK )(;RAI'1 I V 

management and i>;ro\vth of the college. Me liad charge of the inte- 
rior furnishings ot the Bridges Hall oi Music and of Holmes Hall, 
selecting the furnishings and designing the decorations. His ability 
along this line is e\-idenceii in these beautiful buildings. Besides his 
work for the college he has taken up land de\-elopment north of Clare- 
mont. He is general manager of Claremont Heights Development 
Company, the Claremont Heights Irrigation Company and the San 
Antonio Mesa Land Company, being the principal stockholder in the 
latter company. 1 hese \ arious companies have developed from unim- 
proved land many lemon and orange groves of from twenty to eighty 
acres, sinking wells, installing pumping plants, establishing irrigation 
systems, planting citrus trees and caring for the groves, and have thus 
played a very important part in the development of this section, most 
of the lands having been planted to lemons. Mr. Forbes has two 
sons, Kenneth B. and Gordon J. 

It is to men oi Mr. Forbes' caliber and stamp that much cretlit 
is due for the wonderful growth, development and expansion of the 
Pomona Valley. As a citizen he is progressi\'e and a frieml of all 
that ele\-ates and uplifts humanity. Upright, enterprising, enthusi- 
astic and optimistic he is a man the community may justly be proud 
of and his example is well worthy of emulation. 



MISS MINERVA C. FLEMING 

Pomona is fortunate in haxing Miss Minerva C. Meming as 
teacher of music in the public schools of the city. Miss Fleming's 
enthusiasm for this joy-giving and refining art is reflected in her 
pupils, who are not onlv taught the rudiments of music, but in whom 
is inculcated a love for and an appreciatix e umlerstanding of the art. 

Miss Fleming is the ilescendant of an old Scotch familv, her 
father and mother having been born in Scotland. She, however, is a 
native of Kilsyth, Ontario, Canada, anil was reared in that northern 
land and received her education in the Canadian grammar and high 
schools. She graduated in music and physical culture from the Detroit 
Conservatory of iVIuslc and Thomas Normal Training School in De- 
troit. She taught music and physical culture for six and a half years 
at Owen Sound, (Jntario, Canada, both in the public schools and the 
Nortnal Training School. She took post-graduate courses in the To- 
ronto Normal and the Thomas Normal at Detroit and also in the 
University of California at Berkeley. She came to Pomona January, 
19()S, antl at once began teaching physical culture and music in the 
Pomona schools, where she has successfully taught for the past twelve 
years. Her work, which at first included physical culture, is now de- 
voted wholly to music, choir work and assembly singing. For the past 
ten years she has led the children's chorus in the Memorial Day exer- 
cises at Pomona, and is the possessor of a beautiful silk flag, given her 



HISTnR\- AM) IUocraimIV 553 

by the G. A. K. She is especially adapted f..r a leader and trainer 
o chorus sm«,nJ,^ and while living in Canada led a chorus cnsistinR 
ot _',()()() \()ices. 

Miss Fleming affiliates with the Mrst Christian Church at 1'..- 
mona, and is also a member of the church choir, and fraternallv she 
IS a memher ot the Order of J-astern Star. She makes her home on 
her In e-acrc orange and lemon ranch on North Dudley A\ enue. which 
she purchased soon after coming to Pomona. 



I- 



gj:or(,i-: r. moori-: 

An orange and lemon grower who has attained to prominence 
a though he came to California late In life, and who. with his wife and 
children. ,s known to be delighted with Pomona \'allev and amonii 
those most conhdent for its bright future, is George R.Moore who 
hves on \\ eber street, near Laurel. Mis life has been full of happiness 
and success tor hmiself and others. He was born on Julv 9 IS^'O 
notable m history as the date of the death of Zacharv Taylor, presi- 
dent ot the Lmted States. His birthplace was at Fayersham. Fng in 
Kent County, so famous for its hops and its beautiful landscape, some 
t^venty mdes from Gadshill. the residence of Charles Dickens His 
father was Robert Moore, a hardware merchant in Fayersham, who 
marned Martha Hawks, both born in Fngland. George R. had been 
associated w,th h,s father in business for twenty-one years, then took 
o\er the establishment and ran it himself. 

. p-^"':^''^^^^'' however to the far balmier semi-tropical climate of 
the acihc Slope. Mr. Moore came to the United States in 190S, and 
in October arnyed in Pomona, where he bought some ranches and 
s raightway began to improve them. His home place, a most desirable 
tract ot two and three-tourths acres, is an orange grove, and he also 

oreI.1T' "'^'' ",7'^" '" 'l^' I"'^'^'-^'-^! ''""ct. one of ten and the other 
of eight and a half acres, devoted to the culture of the same fruit, as 
well as walnut trees, of which he has 106, and a fine peach orchard' 
Many ot the lemon trees he budded, with great success, to \'alen 
oranges: part of his groves were in a run-down condition, and these 
he has greatly improved, and he has also taken out some of the old 
orange trees and planted ncsv ones. 

Mr. Moore was married at Fayersham. Ilngland. to .Miss Mary 

;^"ciiirn-'" V";;" ^'"'r""- ^■"^''='"^'- ^"^ '^>- '>-■ '-• '^as had 

h ■ ^■^"";''^'; """■ J^-^^-ascd. served in the Boer War on 

stt'ht;;; ^'''' "^' '" '"•"';:'■• '^"'^^-^^ ^'- '^'""-- -- •■••- i" tha 
a c r,nk y "'"IP.^'" -,- '--^ Kent yeoman. The other children 
arc liank H.. .Mildred. Horace and (.eorge Moore The latter 
served ,n.e great^ World War. M its begLing. he was s^tl^. 
at Nalparaisn. „, S.„„h America, as an operat..r for the Western 



554 HISTORY AXU IJlOGRAl'll Y 

Cable Company, and he volunteered before conscription. He served 
three years, was eighteen months in the trenches in France and Belgium 
and was badly wounded in the foot and leg. He belonged to the Royal 
West Kent Tenth Battalion, and was signalman in both the "Royal 
Regiment" and the "Queen's Own." The family attend the Nazarene 
Church. 

Mr. Moore, with two of his sons, is a citizen of the United States, 
but so long as he was in England, he was a strong Liberal and with his 
wife belonged to the East Kent Liberal Association. He was promi- 
nent in his party, and had a personal acquaintance with Lloyd George, 
Premier Asquith, Joseph Chamberlain, Lord Rosebery and other noted 
Englishmen of that political faith. In many ways, therefore, Mr. 
Moore, who is a gifted conxersationalist, is an interesting and enter- 
taining man, and such a citizen as woukl ilo honor to anv community. 



EDWARD B. JERDE 

The rapid and also substantial growth of Pomona is luidoubtedly 
owing to the caliber of the men who elected to make this locality their 
home, and were willing to do all in their power to bring about the 
future prosperity of this garden spot of nature. Among these, Edward 
B. Jerde has played a prominent part in building operations in the 
V^alley, and truly deserv^es much credit for his enterprising public 
spirit and loyalty to the best interests of the community. 

Born in Freeborn County, Minn., January 22, 1878, when h\-e 
years old he was taken to Brookings, S. D., and there was educated 
in the public schools, later taking a two-year course at the State L'ni- 
versity, specializing in architecture and engineering. Since the age 
of sixteen years Mr. Jerde has been in contracting and building work, 
and for four years followed contracting in Brookings, and for two 
years in Huron, S. D. At the outbreak of the Spanish-American war, 
in 1898, he enlisted in Company K, Brookings. S. D., but was taken 
sick and did not see ser\-ice. 

Since taking up his residence here Mr. Jertle has erected o\'er 
one hundred houses in the Valley. Among the buildings which show 
the structural c]ualities for which his work is noted are the following: 
The J. \V. Hollister, H. L. Hart, L. P. Orth and A. R. Curry resi- 
dences; Opera Cjarage; Auditorium of the Kaultman School, in Po- 
mona; the Orange Packing House at Ri\ersidc; bank building at 
Puente; T''.. W. Stewart residence at Chino; Frank Wheeler residence, 
Claremont; College Lleights Orange and Lemon Association ware- 
house, Claremont; Pomona College gymnasium; the Michael and 
Leon Johnson residences, on Foothill Boule\ard. Mr. Jerile also 
built hve houses as an investment o[ his own, and, as may be imagined, 
hail no difficulty in disposing of same, his name being a guarantee for 
good workmanship and material. As can readily be seen, he has been 




d^^r-^Ji^ 



FIISTORV AND UK »C.k MM IV r:-7 

ail important factor in the uplniiKiinji; of the I'omona N'allcy and siir- 
roinuling territory, ami as sucii he is known throughout Soutiicrn L ah- 
fornia. A man of hroad uiulerstandinu; and ideas, he is al\va\s to he 
ilcpcndcd on when the progress of liis district is at stal<e, and liis iiillu- 
cnce has been felt as a man of action in the recent years of i'oniona's 
athancement. l-'raternaily. he is a memher ol tlie Masons, having 
joined Huron Lodge No. 26, I- . & A. .M., aiul he belongs to i'omona 
Lodge Xo. 107, Knights of Pytiiias. 

The marriage of Mr. Jerile united him with Jessie W'ahv, a 
nati\c of South Dakota, and she has been a true helpmate to him, holh 
socially ani.1 in civic matters. Mrs. Jcrde is active in the auxiliary 
branches of the iNLasons and Knights of Pythias, and with her husband 
enjoys a large circle of friends in Pomona \'alley. 



JOHN \V. .^L\SON 

Ihe (.iistinction of having successfully developed three difterent 
ranches in the Pomona \'alley is accorded to John \V. Mason, the 
subject of this review. Lie is a native of the Sunllower State, having 
been born January 20, LS60, in Linn County, Kans., near Mounil City. 
Mr. Mason was reareti on a farm and attended the country school 
of his district. 

When he attained his majorit)', John ^^'. Mason learned the 
harnessmaker'e trade, and then engaged in business at Mound City; 
later, with a partner, he opened a shop at Blue Mound, and still later 
had a shop at Dennis. He then went to Parsons, Kans., ami here he 
had a partner and rcmaineii in business there until 1891. Like many 
other residents of Kansas, Mr. Mason possessed a strong desire to 
see the Golden State, believing it offered greater possibilities to young 
men who were enterprising, industrious and thrifty. Acting upon this 
impulse, Mr. Mason migrated to California in iS91, locating at San 
Dimas, where he soon adapted himself to his new surroundings. Being 
anxious to obtain a thorough knowledge ol the citrus industry, lie 
worked for seven years in orange groves in the San Dimas district. 
While learning the business he acquired a house and two lots, which 
he sold in 1897. With J. NL Cardiff, Mr. Mason went to San Ber- 
nardino County, where they rented land, purchased stock and success- 
fully engaged in the stock-raising business until 1902. 

In 1901, Mr. Mason purchased ten acres of raw land near San 
Dimas and rented out the place for four years as a nursery. The 
renter furnished him enough trees to plant an orange grove, raising 
his nursery stock between the orange trees. Mr. Mason developed 
the grove until it came into bearing, and in 1909 sohl it at a good 
profit. Subsequently he purchased thirty acres of alfalfa land at 
Franklin anil Towne avenues, which, after retaining one year, he sold, 
and bought his present home at 1009 Last Fourth Stret, Pomona. 



358 1IIST( >R\ AM) I'.K x'.RAl'llV 

For some time Mr. Xlason was engaged in doing teaming and 
graiiing for the city of Pomona. In 1910 he bought a ten-acre orange 
and lemon ranch locatctl In the La Verne district. The trees were then 
one year old and the orchard comprised one-third each of Valencia 
and Na\'el oranges, while the remaining third was de\-oted to lemons. 
Mr. Mason gi\es his personal attention to this grove and has 
brought the place to a high state of cultivation which now yields him 
abundant crops. 

In Dennis, in 1885, John W. Mason \\as united in marriage with 
Enola Torrey, a native of Wisconsin. Her people came to San Dimas 
in 1888. This union was blessed with five children: Nell, who died 
aged eighteen; Muriel, who is now Mrs. George Boddy of San 
Dimas; Helen is the wife of Clarence Marshall of Pomona, and is 
the mother of two girls; J. Shirley Mason is married and has one 
son, W. Mason, Jr.; and Liz/ie Marie. The career of John W. 
Mason is an example of well-directed efforts in his chosen line of 
endeavor. 



HOBERT F. NORCROSS 

Numbered among the successful orange growers of Pomona 
Valley is Hobert F. Norcross, whose career furnishes a splendid 
example of what energy and resourcefulness can accomplish when 
wisely directed and centralized. In these days of scientific horticulture 
the orchardist who closely studies the latest methods and adopts them 
in the culture of his gro\'e, and is always eager to broaden iiis knowl- 
edge concerning soil conditions, fertilization, irrigation and all other 
kindred subjects, is the man who is assured larger crops, and conse- 
quently greater returns financially. Vo just sucii reasons as these 
Mr. Norcross attributes his success in orange culture. 

Hobert F. Norcross was born in Warren County, III., August .^1, 
1851. He was reared on a farm, and during the Centennial vear 
migrated to Beatrice, Gage County, Nebr., where he engaged in farm- 
ing, also in raising, buving and shipping horses in carload lots. Mr. 
Norcross was considered the best judge of horses in the county. He 
owned a half-section of land, and, in operating his farm, believed in 
using the most modern implements and up-to-date methods. While 
living in Nebraska Mr. Norcross served as supervisor of Gage County 
for six years, filling the position with credit to himself and-satisfaction 
to the county. 

For a number of years, Mr. Norcross was engaged as a tra\eling 
salesman for the Dempster Mill Manufacturing Company, selling 
windmills, grain drills and double-row cultivators and establishing 
agencies for the company. In this line he was a decided success. His 
territory embraced eighteen states in the Middle W'est. During the 
year 1905 he migrated to the Golden State, and after traveling 



HISTORY AXn I'.IOC.RAi'IlV 53') 

throughout California investigating the advantages of \arious local- 
ities, Mr. Xorcross was greatly impressetl with the l'oi7iona \ alley ami 
decided to make it his permanent home. Upon locating at Pomona 
he at once began a thorough study of orange culture, reading the hest 
information he couUl find and attending lectures upon this interesting 
subject. His tirst purchase was a ten-acre orange grov e on I'.ast 1 lolt 
Avenue, which he afterwards sold to I- red Robbins. .Mr. Xorcross 
also owned a ten-acre gro\e on Ramona .-\\enue, but later sold it. At 
present he owns a gro\e on Alexaiuler A\ enue, north of Kingsley, also 
one at the cortier of Ramona and Orchard Street, and one on Kings- 
Icy, east of Ramona. .Mr. Xorcross gave his son a six-acre grove of 
oranges on East Holt Avenue, near the city limits. During the season 
of 1918 Mr. Xorcross produced from one of his ten-acre groves 7,300 
boxes of oranges. He has always been deeply interesteil in the tle\el- 
opment of the water supply of Pomona \'alley, and for the past nine 
years has served as a director of the Del Monte Water Company, and 
is also a director of the Pomona I-"ruit (irowers I'.xchange. Religiously 
he is a member of the First Presbyterian Church at Poiiiona. 

In 1874, at Monmouth, III., Ilobcrt F. Xorcross was united in 
marriage with Lora \:. Webster, a native of Illinois, and thev are the 
parents of two children: Bert I., who resides on his ranch on Fast 
Holt Avenue, and is the father of four girls; and Lorie, the wife of 
Robert Morton of Fa \'erne, and they are the parents of two sons. 



HARRY P. BROWX 

One of Pomona's energetic young business men possessed of iiie 
qualities that bring success in life when coupled with the ability to 
rightly apply them, Flarry P. Brown is a native of the Middle West, 
having been born in Sangamon County, 111., June 21, 1SS2. While an 
infant in arms his parents moved to southeastern Kansas and located 
on a farm near the city of Pittsburg, in Crawford County. Harry was 
reared on the farm, attended the country schools and completeti his 
education by a course in business cf)llege at Pittsburg, Kans. At the 
age of twenty he became the f)wner of an eighty-acre farm, upon which 
he lived three years. He then disposed of this property, aiui in 1005 
came to California, locating at Pomona. Since then he has de\ oteil 
his time and attention to the fruit industry. In less than a year after 
his adsent in Pomona \'alley he engaged with the Imlian I lill C itrus 
.Association, with whom he has been associated e\er since, with the 
exception of nine months — .March to December, 191 S — when he tilled 
the position of county horticultural inspector for Pomona X'allev dis- 
trict by appointment. He lirst engaged with the association as picking 
foreman aiul was placed in charge of the picking crews in the orange 
groves: loilowiiiL; this he was lielil manager of all the outside work. 



S60 IIIS'I'ORV AXl) r.lOGRAl'in" 



making estimates of the fruit in the groves, looking after fertilizing, 
pruning, spraying, etc. In December, 1918, he accepted the position 
of foreman of the packing house of the Indian Mill Citrus Association. 
His witle experience, gained in the Held, and the knowledge gained as 
horticultural inspector, make him a competent and valuable man for 
the position he holtls. He is the owner of a iive-acre orange grove of 
fifteen-year-old trees on North San Antonio and Harrison avenues. 
The high state of cultixation in which he keeps this orchard amply 
repays him in the abundant crops yielded by the trees. In addition to 
the orchard he owns real estate in Pomona. 

I le was united in marriage with Miss Edna Butler of Kansas, and 
of the three children born of their union, Marjorie and Helen are 
natives of Kansas, while Ira, the youngest, was born in the Golden 
State. In his religious associations Mr. Brown is a member of the 
First Presbyterian Church at Pomona. 



REV. JOHN J. SHEEHY 

Pomona is indeed fortunate in securing the serxices of so able 
a priest as Rev. John J. Sheehy to carry on the work of the Catholic 
Church in this section of Southern California. His years of experi- 
ence in California have made him familiar with conditions to be found 
here, and being a man of keen insight and broad vision, he has met his 
duties in a manner to he highly commended. Born in County Kerry, 
Ireland, December 8, 1876, Father Sheehy is a son of John J. and 
Julia (Stack) Sheehy, who were farmer folk in their native country. 
Mrs. Sheehy is still living, but the father passed on in 1900. 

Reverend Sheehy is the second child in a lamily of eleven born to 
his worthy parents, and was educated in St. Michael's College, at 
Listowel, and at St. Patrick's College at Carlow, and was ordained 
June 9, 1900, for the Diocese of Los Angeles and Monterey. That 
same year he crossed the sea to his new field, and his first appointment 
was as first assistant priest at St. Andrew's Church in Pasadena. From 
there he went to Coronado; and then to the Immaculate Conception 
Church at Monrovia, where he served faithfully for fourteen years. 
He built the Church of St. Francis at Azusa, and also erected the Im- 
maculate Conception Church at Monro\Ia, with the rectory of the 
latter church as well. 

On March 1, 1918, Reverend Sheehy was appointed pastor of 
St. Joseph's Church in Pomona, and in the short time of his labors 
here has made many improvements in the charge under his care. He 
has impro\ed the altar and sanctuary, and has imported vestments 
lor the service; with his associates, he has taken the care of the Mexi- 
cans from the church and relieved the Welfare League. Father 
Sheehy is deeply interested in the advancement of Pomona Valley 



HISTORY AXI) r.lor.R Al'in- 5io 

and lends himself tti all worthy mo\cnicnts toward that end. I le is 
public spirited ami interests liiniselt in local atlairs, both ci\ic and 
educational. The school attached to his church, the Holy N;!r.ie 
Acadcniv, teaches all jjrades, with ten teachers, ami 2ll(l pupils, thirty 
of them boarding pupils. 

l-"ratcrnally. Father Shcehy is a member of the Knights of Co- 

•iinbus, and in political matters he \(itcs the Democratic ticket. I le 

I>^ • iiitlge of good horses, and some of his animals ha\e taken prizes. 



J.\.\1];S \V. WALKKK 

A much-lo\ed ami esteemed man, a prominent resident of I'o- 
mona ^'allcy since 1890, James \V. Walker, who passed away in 1912 
at the ripe old age of eighty years, left the rich heritage ot an exemp.ary 
life, tilled with kindly deeds and accomplishments worthy of emulation. 
Born in Campbell County, Ky., in 1832, Mr. Walker came of an old 
Virginia family of Scotch descent. During his early manhood lie estab- 
lished himself in the dry goods business at Covington, Ky., and there 
he married .Miss Sue Ilolton in 1860. She was born in Falmouth. Ky., 
and her father. Thomas Holton, also born there, came of Old Do- 
minion stock. He followed farming for a time and afterwanls was 
in the lumber business. His wife, before her marriage, was Sabina 
McCarty. a native of Kentucky, whose father came from Scotland. 
Sue Holton received a thorough education in Miss Haynes' Seminary 
at Covington, where she majored in music and became an accomplished 
young lady. Ihere she met Mr. Walker, the acquaintance resulting 
in their marriage, a union that proxed very happy to both of them. 

Mr. Walker continued in the mercantile business in Covington, 
Ky., until 1SS9, when he sold out and came to Southern California. 
He spent a little more than a year in Los Angeles, and then located 
in San Dimas. He purchased a residence and live acres of lami in 
San Dimas and also bought ninety acres in the west part of town. He 
went in for citrus growing and improved the stubble Held hv leveling 
it and setting out oranges and lemons. He gave the gro\e the best 
of care and made a success as a citrus grower. He was a stockholder 
in the San Dimas Land and Water Company, ami. a tirm believer in 
cooperation, was a member of the San Dimas Orange Growers Asso- 
ciation and the San Dimas Lemon Growers Association. He also set 
out and improved the rive acres which he purchased at the corner of 
Bonita and San Dimas Asenues. 

Mr. and .Mrs. Walker were always familiarly known as "Lnclc 
Jimmy" and "Aunt Sue" by their many friends and acquaintances, 
showing the wealth of atiection in which thcv were held. Kind, gen- 
erous and hospitable to all, they radiated unbounded good will, and 
frequently entertained lavishly, as many as a hundred at a time, at 



564 HISTORY AXl) I'.loC.RAri I V 

their large, comfortable home. Mr. Walker was a strong Democrat 
and an ardent supporter of the jirinciples of his party. He was an 
acti\e anti de\ out IJajitist ami a prominent member ami trustee of the 
local organization, and was the prime nio\'er in building the church 
here. While li\ing in Kentucky he educated six young men. sending 
them through Georgetown College, and all of them became ministers, 
and they ne\er forgot his kindness. 

Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. \\'alker, three of whom 
are living. Ella is Mrs. Potts and resides with her mother, assisting 
her In presiding oxer the home. She has one child, Rowena, reared in 
the Walker home, who is now the wife of Raymond I. Carruthers, 
district agent for the Edison Company. They reside in \'isalia ami 
are the parents of four children — Jane, Jack, Sue \'irginia and James 
Wilson; Henry Yeamen of San Dimas and Robert of Los Angeles. 
Mrs. Walker a cultured and accomplished woman, still resides in the 
old home, and here, with the assistance of her devoted children, she 
ciispenses a gracious hospitality. Like her husband, she is a devoted 
member of the Baptist Church. She organized the Emerson Club and 
was at one time its president, and later, when this club was abandoned, 
she became a charter member of the Wednesday Afternoon Club. 



ELMER E. BOOTH 

Among the residents from various parts of the L'nited States who 
have come to the Pomona Valley to make their home is Elmer E. 
Booth, who was born in Glendale, W. \'a., December 2, 1S81. He 
was seventeen \'ears of age when he accompanied his parents to Cali- 
fornia in 1898 and located in Pomona. Soon after arriving in his new 
home he returned to his native state, enlisted in the Spanish-American 
War in the First West Virginia Regiment, and after seven months" ser- 
vice came back to Pomona and took a course in the Pomona Business 
College, afterwards joining his father, J. M. Booth, in the hardware 
business at Pomona. After a year and a half they sold the store and 
he and his father and brother, W. E. Booth, and (i. F. N'aughn, opened 
I gentlemen's clothing and furnishing store under the firm name oi 
Booth, ^'aughn and Sons, at 2.H West Secoml Street. The tirm is now 
known as the Booth and Dehnel Company, and a large and growing 
custom testifies to their success in catering to high-class trade. Their 
up-to-date establishment is the leader in its line of business in the city 
of Pomona. At the end ot seven years 1''.. E. Booth disposed of his 
interest in the business to W. A. Bof)th and opened a small garage on 
Second Street. 1 lis business increased to such proportions that in 191! 
he bought the corner at South Park Avenue and First Street, where 
Pomona's pioneer livery barn stood. Tearing the old building down 
he erected his present commotlious ami modern garage, known as the 



inSToRV WD ■■■ ■■ M'ilN hi>7 

Park Avciuic Ciarayc. L lulcr his aclministratinn the husiruss has 
prospercil ami incrcascil in soiiimc, ami in 1913 he assunied the ai^emy 
for the lamoiis Paige autoinobiie, for which he is the distrihiitiir in 
Pomona \ alley. 

Mr. Booth married .Miss Cora .Martin, October 12, I 914, at Nor- 
walk, Cal., who was horn in the l!ast, hut was brought up at La \'erne, 
Cal. Their two chiKlren are nameil respecti\ely, X'irglnia anti J'.lls- 
worth ]'.., Jr. 

In his fraternal affiliations .Mr. Booth is a member (jt P(jmona 
Lodge Xo. 107, Knights of Pythias, and also Pomona Lodge No. 7S9, 
B. P. O. Elks. 



IIIARV W. Bl ALi: 

An old resident of Pomona and well known and well liked in the 
community where he made his home for so many years, Henry \V. 
Beale was a natiye of Pcnnsyhania, born in Philadelphia on October 
24, 1860. He was raised and educated in Philadelphia and was a cab- 
inet maker and interior finisher by trade and an expert in his line. 
I- or tweKe years he did interior finishing work on the tine cars of the 
PennsyKania Railroad at their shops in West Philadelphia. His 
health failing, he decided to seek the less rigorous climate of Southern 
California and arri\ed in Pomona in Noyember, 1892. He bouglu 
a liye-acrc fruit ranch on Last Phillips Boulcyard, and planted it to 
peaches and apricots, and there he Ii\ed, improving the place and in- 
creasing its producti\eness. 

After some years, Mr. Beale thought he wished to return I-".ast 
for a yisit, and selling out his ranch he returned to Philadelphia. He 
only remained three months, howeyer, and then returned to Poinona. 
For a short time he worked as clerk in the Parr shoe store; he later 
established a butter and egg business and for fourteen years followed 
this line, establishing a route and supplying customers in Pomona and 
\ icinity with fresh butter and eggs, and in his dealings with the public 
became possessed of many firm friends. During this time he bought 
a four-acre orange groye on Washington .Ayenue and later mo\ed his 
family there from the home he had previously purchased on I.ast 
Sixth Street. He greatly improved the ranch, piping water for irriga- 
tif)n and bringing it to a high state of cultixation. 

The marriage of Mr. Beale, in I'hiladelphia, united him with R(jse 
|. Weegman, also a native of that city, and one daughter, jeane 
.Marie, blessed their union, born in Pomona. The family attemi the 
Congregational Church and in fraternal circles .Mr. Beale was a 
member of the Fraternal Brotherhootl. His death. December 27, 
1918, left a void in the hearts of his many friends in the community, 
as well as in his de\oted family. 



568 HISTORY AND JJICJCkAl'l IV 

FRANKLIN SMEAD 

The son of a Cincinnati banlccr, Franklin Smead was born in 
Cincinnati, Ohio, December 8, 1832. He was reared and educated in 
his native city, and as a young man entered business with his father 
in the bank. Not Hking the indoor confinement, he purchased 500 
acres of land in Winnebago County, northern Illinois, where he fol- 
lowed the occupation of a farmer for fifteen years. In 1872 he re- 
moved to Washington, Davis County, Ind., and became the owner of 
thirty acres of peaches and pears. His fruit was famous all over the 
state for its fine quality, and brought the highest prices on the market. 
In addition, he followed the occupation of raising stock, cattle and 
swine successfully. 

In 1907 Mr. Smead disposed of his intei-csts in the Fast and 
removed to Pomona, Cal. Here he purchased seven and one-half 
acres on Arroyo Avenue, In the Packard Tract, planted to oranges 
and lemons. This orchard has proved to be an excellent producer, and 
its owner has received as much as $800 for his lemons from one acre 
of trees in one year's time. His orange trees have also been prolific 
yiclders. 

Mr. Smead married Miss Sarah E. Sneath, a nati\ e of New 
York, now deceased. Of the twelve children resulting from their 
union six are li\ing, namely: Clarence B. of Pomona, Harry of San 
Dimas, Roy of Pomona, Mrs. Minnie Cochran of Pomona, Mrs. 
Stella Lane of Decker, Ind., and Mrs. Mabel Little of Pomona. 



IRA SCOFIELD 

A successful and re\ered California rancher, now deceased, who 
always took an active part in Pomona Valley affairs, especially in 
orange culture and the problems of water de\elopment, was Ira Sco- 
field, a native of Montrose, Iowa. When he was a young man, his 
father and mother, (ieorge and Angeline Scofield, moved to Council 
Bluffs, Iowa, and there for a number of years he conducted a general 
store, steadily making that reputation for enterprise, reliability and 
a desire to please antl to acconunodatc, so \aluable to every ambitious 
merchant. 

In 1893 Mr. Scofield moved west to Los Angeles, and in that 
beautiful city of the Southland he remained for five years. Then he 
removed to Pomona, assured of its permanent attractions, and bought 
ten acres of an orange grove located on Orange Avenue, near San Ber- 
nardino Avenue, in bearing condition, and interspersed with prunes. 
After a while he took out the prune trees and set out only oranges; and 
when he had brought the ranch to a high state of perfection, he sold 
half of the grove. On the five acres remaining he erected a new home 



lllS'ii )\<\ AM) IW i<'.i\ \l'lh' r>:) 

south ot the old place; aiul there his esteemed widow and an imly 
».laiiy;hter now reside, for Mr. ScolieKl passed to his eternal reward on 
January 2, 1916. 

.Mrs. Scolicid was Miss .Marjj;aret Bennett, a native ot New ^ ork 
state and a daiipjhter of Adam Bennett anil As'ies (\ountr) Bennett, 
het'ore her marriajjje, which took place at Council BluHs, and tour 
children blessed their union: .Maie resides at the home place; I la/.el, 
who became the wife ot [. B. .Mitchell ot I.os Angeles, is now deceased, 
sur\ivcd by a son, Milo Mitchell; Albert and Miles live in Council 
Bluiis, Iowa. Fraternally, Mr. Scolield was an Odd lellow. 

As president ot' the Claremont Citrus Association tor many years, 
Mr. ScotieKl did much to advance oranjre and lemon interests here, 
besides developing his own groves into Al proilucers; anil as president 
of the Kingsley Tract Water Company, he was a good "booster" ot 
N'alley irrigation. His demise, therefore, may be said to be a public 
loss, for during all of his life he was preeminently public-spirited. With 
his family he attended the Congregational Church ; but his inlluence for 
good was unhampered by any denominational lines or confines. 



PRUIKSSOR (iKORCl-: (iAIJ-: HiTcncucK 

The striiles made in modern science is well illustrated in the prep- 
aration and work of such men of advanced learning as Cjeorge Ciale 
Hitchcock, professor of physics in Pomona College, who was born at 
Galesburg, Kno.x County, III., on .\pril 24, 1861 — a notable date in 
the scientific world, by the way, for it was then that a partially success- 
ful electric telephone was first installed. He remained in his birthplace 
until he was fourteen years of age. attending the district schools; but 
in 1875 the family removeil to Lincoln, Nebr. It thus came about 
that our subject was graduated from the L niversity of Nebraska, 
1883, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, after which he took a post- 
grailuate course in physics and general science at the Johns Hopkins 
L niversity at Baltimore. 

I'or the next six years .Mr. Hitchcock was professor of science in 
the Presbyterian College at Pierre, S. D., and then he occupied the 
chair of chemistry for two years at the Washington State Agricultural 
College at Pullman, Wash. In January, 189.^, Professor Hitchcock 
came to Pomona College as one of its pioneer instructors, being pro- 
fessor of both chemistry and physics until 1905. and since that time 
physics alone. During a part of this time he has been connected with 
the L niversity of California, doing extension work in the line of elec- 
trical engineering. 

On September 7, 1887, in .Minnesota. Professor Hitchcock was 
married to Miss Abbie Williams, a native of Iowa and the daughter of 
.\. C. Williams, D.l)., a .Methodist minister, who spent the last four- 



570 HISTORY AX I) lUOCRAri IN' 

teen years of his life as a preaclier in Southern California. She is an 
accomplished woman, who has shared a deep interest in her hiishand's 
work; and four children have added joy and honor. Edith M., who 
was graduated from Pomona College with the class of '14, is instructor 
ol music in the Claremont puhJic schools; and Harry W., who was 
graduated from the same alma mater with the class of '11, and later 
spent two years at Cornell Uni\ersity, is at present expert engineer 
with the American Telegraph and Telephone Company of New York. 
There are also George (j., Jr., and Arthur B. Hitchcock, hoth of 
whom are at home. The latter shows marked musical talent, and at 
the age of se\enteen is organist of the Congregational Church of 
Claremont. 

Belonging to the Congregational Church ot Claremont, I'rofessor 
Hitchcock has served as its trustee and deacon. He has also heen 
organist of that church, and, indeed, through his knowledge of the 
organ, has long been a leatlei- in a Held in which Americans in partic- 
ular ha\'e done good work. He is not only an expert, finished per- 
former on the organ, but is thoroughly familiar with its manufacture 
and repair. As a result of this \'a!uahle experience and knowledge, 
Professor Hitchcock was sent East to select the organ now in the 
Mission Inn at Riverside, and one of the chief attractions of that 
unique hostelry; and he also selected the organ of the Congregational 
Church at Long Beach, the organ of the Congregational Church at 
Whittier, and the organ in Bridges Hall, Claremont. This experience 
goes hack to his work as organist at the University of Nebraska at 
Lincoln, and as organist in \arious Baltimore churches, and afforils 
Professor Hitchcock ample oportunity for ad\anclng not only science 
and mechanics, but art and aesthetics, and increasing the measure of 
human happiness. 



ARTHUR MILLARD LiCinV 

1 he op|)ortunities to be found in Pomona \ alle\-, bot'i in a busi- 
ness way, socially, and along educational lines, ha\-e pro\en a magnet 
for men of ability from all o\er the United States, and as they are like- 
wise progressive ami wide-awake to the possibilities to be found here, 
their choice has never been regretted. Among these may be mentioned 
Arthur Millard Lichty, a native of Waterloo, Blackhawk Countv, 
Iowa, where he was born September 2, I 878, a son of Hiram J. Lichty, 
born in Somerset County, Pa., who came to Iowa in pioneer days. He 
was a farmer, and passed away in May, 1916, after a strenuous and 
very useful life in that state; the mother, Sarah Ann Miller before her 
marriage, was also born in Somerset County, Pa., and came to Iowa 
when a child of se\en years ami was reared on the frontier. She i-e- 
sides in Waterloo. 



iiis'if )kv AND i:i( H'.kAi'iiv y/i 

The tourth chilJ in ;i tuniily ot six born to his panius, Artiiur 
Millari.1 received his education at puhhc schools, siippleniented In a 
course at Waterloo Academy and School of Commerce. 1 le remained 
at home on his father's farm imtil reachinjr the aj^e ol t\\enty-t\\<>, 
when he began to farm for himself, antl continued at that occupation 
until he left lo\\ a for the extreme West. 

In the fall of 19()9 Mr. Lichty came to i'omona. lor a while 
he worked at \arious undertakings, anil came to ha\e a thorough 
knowleiige of Pomona and surrounding territory, and the future possi- 
bilities of this fa\()red section. In January, 1914, in partnership with 
Schuvler H. Park, he formed the wholesale Hour ami leed house of 
Park & Lichty, anil from its beginning it pro\ed a success, buikling up 
a large business and keeping pace with the increasing growth ot the 
\'allev. Both partners cooperate with the business men of I'omona in 
all undertakings for the general upbuikling of the community, and are 
recogni/.ed as dependable workers for the best interests of the N'alley. 
This partnership continucil till September, 1919, when he sold his in- 
terest to .Mr. Park. 

The marriage of .Mr. Lichty, which occurred at Waterloo, Iowa, 
June 19, 1902, united him with Miss Helen J. Bellingham, ami two 
children ha\e blessed their union, Kenneth Bellingham and I'orrest 
Vincent. The family attend the Church of the Brethren. .Mr. Lichty 
is a member of the Pomona Chamber of Commerce. 



IL\RRV W. I'RIYI R.Ml ril 

The enterprising, thrifty and progressi\e spirit, so typical of the 
early pioneers of the (iolden State, is exemplitieil in the successful 
career of 11. W. FVeyermuth, the pioneer painting contractor of the 
Pomona N'alley. He was born in Philadelphia, Pa., on September 4, 
1866, and when six years of age the family remo\eii to South Bend, 
Ind. Here he was educated and learned the trade of a painter and 
decorator, which business he followed in South Beml until 189.^. 

Beliesing that California offered better opportunities for enter- 
prising young men, Mr. 1 reyermuth came to Pomona, Cal., in 189.^, 
arriving with just forty-two dollars, ami after paying the freight on his 
furniture he hail but twenty dollars to begin living in his new surround- 
ings and to establish himself in business. But he was rich in those in- 
dispensable adjuncts of large success — self-confidence and a ileter- 
mination to surmount all obstacles — he possessed economical habits 
and an industrious nature. He started in the contracting, painting and 
decorating business and successfully followed his trade in the Pomona 
\'alley for eighteen years, employing as many as fifteen men at one 
time. His business exteiuled throughout the Pom<ina \'alley and in- 



572 11IS'^()R^■ -Wl) lUoCkAl'JlV 

eluded San Dimas, Chino, Uplands, Ontario, La N'ernc, and besides 
many line residences in Pomona he painted and decorated the State 
Bank building and the Brady block. 

As he prospered he sa\"ei.l his money ami in\ ested in tne acres of 
land on East Filth Street, which he improved, planted to oranges, and 
sold. In 1910 he purchased his present line orange gro\e ol seventeen 
acres on West L'ucamonga A\ enue. At that time tne trees were live 
years old and the place was \ cry much run down, but with Mr. Freyer- 
muth's excellent care and management the gro\e has been brought up 
to a high state of culti\ation and is among the best producers of the 
Valley and is now paying him a handsome prolit. Of the 1000 Valen- 
cia orange trees, 700 are in bearing, ami among the lemon trees 160 are 
now in bearing. From eight acres ol \ alencia oranges Mr. Freyer- 
muth recei\ed in 1918, $7800. 

In addition to his orange gro\ e Mr. Freyermuth is one of the 
owners of the Golden Terrace pumping plant, which furnishes ten 
growers in his district with water for irrigating. He packs and ships 
his oranges through the Indian Hill Citrus Association of North Po- 
mona. 

In August, 1906, Mr. Freyermuth was united in marriage with 
Eva Mullendorc, a native of Richland County, Wis., where her father 
located in 1854. Fraternally he is a member of the Odd Fellows and 
has passed through all the chairs of the order, and both himself and 
wife are Rebekahs. By persisting in a course of straightforward deal- 
ing in all of his business operations. Air. hreyermuth has gained a 
gratifying degree of iinancial success. 



JEROME A. LUDDhlN 

A leading man in the commercial world of Pomona, who has done 
much to put the important trade in drugs upon a scientific, dignilied and 
economic basis, is Jerome A. Ludden, proprietor of the Ludden Drug 
Company, at 300 West Second Street, — not only a lirst-class, complete 
establishment, but historically of special interest as one of the pioneer 
drug companies of the city. He was born on May 16, 1881, at Win- 
dom, Cottonwood County, Minn., the son of Collins A. Ludden, a 
nati\e of \ew York, now retired. He married Miss Alice C. Flint, a 
Kentucky belle, and together they established themseKes early among 
a circle of de\()ted friends. Collins Ludden was a druggist lor many 
years in Windom before coming to Pomona on June 15, 1895. 

I'or the first few years he followed ranching on North San An- 
tonio A\enue, but he soon returned to the business to which he had al- 
I'eady gi\en much of his life. I le bought out the drug store of S. Cald- 
well, at 410 West Second Street, which had been established in the 
Valley for many years, anil after a few years in that location he moved 
the business to }()() West Second Street, at the corner of Main, its 



IIISTOKV WD i;i< x.KAI'in 57.? 

present well-known location. In 1914 he soKlniit the estahlishinent to 
his son, Jerome, and retired; and the latter has since then hecn respon- 
sible tor the progressive policies ot the iip-to-t.late house. Collins 
Ludden has been a Mason in all the branches, including that of the 
Shriners; and few, it any, members are more welcome in .Masonic 
halls. His children, all honorable and honored, and also all active in 
their spheres of inlluence. arc Jerome A., Merritt W., Morris I'... .\iny 
H., and Hugh C l.udden. 

Jerome A. Ludden received his early education in the home town 
of Windtmi, Minn., anil was a boy of litteen when he reached Pomona, 
since which time he has been idcntilied with the affairs of the town. I le 
attendeil the Claremont high school, and completed a pharmaceutical 
course at the L niversitv of Southern California, from which he was 
graduated in 1900. He was associateii with his father from the start 
in the Ludden Drug Company, of which, as has been said, he became 
sole owner in 1914. Many were the regrets at tHe announcement of 
Collins Ludden's proposed retirement, but general satisfaction was ex- 
pressed at the prospect of so acceptable a successor. 

At Long Beach, on the 16th day of September, 19ll.^, .Mr. Ludden 
was married to Miss .Minnie Xewkirk, a native of Kansas and the 
ilaughter of Frank M. ami Lilly Xewkirk. She was brought to Cali- 
fornia when a child and reared and educated at Long Beach: and now 
she is associate matron of the I-".astern Star, with which organization 
her husband was affiliated for years. One son, Jerome A., Jr., has 
blessed this fortunate union. Like his father, Jerome Ludilen is also a 
Mason and a Shriner. 



ALBLRT WILLIAM LVli R 

An American veteran who proveil his real mettle in tiie lierce 
Philippine campaigns of the Spanish-American War, and who thus 
established a record for such manly prowess that it is logical enough 
he should today be serving his fellow-men at the head ot a ilepartment 
calling for character, common sense and courage, is .Albert William 
Lyter, Chief of i'olice of Pomona. A native son. he was born at San 
Jose on April 21, lSS(t, in the familv of John and Julia (llouck) 
Lyter. The father was a rancher, and so affordeil the lad at least a 
healthy, outdoor boyhood; and nowadays Chief Lyter is as fond as 
ever of life in the great open. John Lyter is still living, but his good 
wife has passed away. She was the mother of three children, all boys, 
and .Albert is the oldest chilil. John Lyter was a L'nion soldier in the 
Civil War and he also took part in the war against the Fmlians soon 
alter; and when Albert was only six years old, the family was taken to 
Denver, where he was educatetl at the public schools. In 19(t5 the 
Lytcrs came to Los Angeles, and the following year they removed to 
Chino. 



574 IIISTUKN- AM) nioGKAl'lI V 

(iooil fortuiu' sniiicd upon AlliLTt in 1910 when he came to Po- 
mona to li\e, about mitiway in an en^ap;cmcnt of li\e years with the 
Southern Pacific as warehouseman; lor he found at last the town that 
suited him best. In 1912 he joined the police force as a patrolman; 
and when Chief II. P. Tracy was killed in 191-5, he was appointed, to 
everybody's satisfaction, Chief Tracy's successor. He is a Democrat 
in matters of paramount politics; hut gladly joins his neighbors in local 
moN'ements irrespecti\-e of party claims. 

When the United States was at war with Spain, Mr. Lyter joincil 
Company E of the First Colorailo \'oluntecrs, and lor a year and a 
halt fought for honor and liberty. Tinally, he receix'ed his honorable 
discharge with a reconl for attested braxery. 

On June 26, 1903, Mr. Lyter was married at Denver, Colo., to 
Miss Clara Lucas; and three children ha\e broLight joy to their hearth; 
they are Donald, Tiarry and Robert. In fraternal affairs, Mr. Lyter 
is a member of the 1' raternal Brotherhood. 



GEORGE C. GRISWOLD 

The sound business judgment of (ieorge C. Griswold was exem- 
piifieil in his selection of I'onuina \'alley as a section in which to estab- 
lish his marmalade factory. This Valley is known all o\"er the Linited 
States as the center of the abimdant production of citrus fruits of lus- 
cious and superior quality and the wonderful pace at which the industry 
is growing each year is proof that the newcomers who flock to the V^al- 
ley yearly appreciate its superior qLialifications for the propagation of 
the orange ajid lemon. 

George C. Griswold was born in Milo, Bureau County, HI., anci 
is the son of A. R. and Mary (Swarthout) Ciriswold, nati\'es of New 
York State, who remo\ed to Illinois and engaged in farming in Bureau 
County. George C. was reared in Illinois and recei\'ed his primary 
education in the public schools of his native state, completing the high 
school course at Princeton, III., and courses at Knox College and Cor- 
nell University, graduating from the latter institution in 1892 with the 
degree of B.L. After teaching in the L^niversity of Washington, at 
Seattle, for one year, he went abroad and studied three years at the 
Uni\-ersity of Halle and, completing his studies, received the degree 
of J-'h.D. at that uni\ersity. Returning to his natix'e country, he was 
superintendent of schools at Memlota, III., and Oregon, III. During 
the years he was engaged in educational woi^k, he started a summer re- 
sort at Ludington, Mich. Lie subdivided the place, built and sold cot- 
tages and lots and erected the hotel ami store there. 

.Aftei- coming to Claremont m 1909, he would I'cturn to Michigan 
in the summers to look after his affairs there, until he disposed of his 
holdings in 1912, since which time he has gi\en California business all 



HISTORY AM) |;|( )C,R.\I'!'\ 57: 

oi his attention. I K- licjran the inanulacture ..I" iiiannahule In a small 
way. smiply because he was interested in it and wanted sonietiiintr t„ d,, 
I he hrst year it was prepared o\ er the Camilv cook stove and each year 
the amount was mcreased. Introducing the product in the llast,' his 
business ^rcw and now he has built a lar^e plant on loothill BouIcn ard 
equipped with the latest inachinerv and methods for the preparation 
packing and shipping of the goods. I le makes a specialty of orange" 
marmalade; he ships a great many packages by express to eastern 
points, filling orders ot tourists to send to their friends, now aiiout S(li) 
packages a year. The capacity of the plant is about one humlred 
dozen jars ot marmalade per day and each vear the production is 
increascil. 

In Phoenix. Ari/.. Mr. (.riswold was married to (.race Brooks 
a native of Oregon. 111., and they have two daughters, .Mary L<.uise 
and Dorothy. In his religious convictions, .Mr. (iriswold is a Lnl- 
tarian. and in national politics he adheres to the principles of the Re- 
publican platform: fraternally, he is a member of the Phi (ia 
Delta, and was made a Mason in Seattle, Wash., and now is 
of the Claremont Lodge of Masons. 



mma 
a member 



CAR I. II. L(jrbki;r 

A splendid and inspiring illustration of the possibility of one 
making a success of a business or professional undertaking and at the 
same time gning much time, thought and faithful attention to a mov e- 
ment tor the uplift of society, is afiorded by Carl II. Lorheer wire 
chiet and assistant manager of the Pomona \alley Telephone & Tele- 
graph Company, who, a native son most proud of his association with 
the Cjolden .State, was born at Pomona on August 2>, 1SS4 I le it 
tended the Pomona grammar and high schools, and was graduated 
from I omona College in 1906, after making a specialty of biology 
and general science. 

I- or two years previous to his graduation, .Mr. I.orbeer was a 
collector tor the liome Telephone Company, and he has been with 
them ever since. Me started in to learn the business from the lowest 
round of the ladder, and now he is next to the head in the practical 
management of the establishment. 

On November 19. ]9(.8, at Pomona, .Mr. I.orbeer was married 
to .Miss Rose Andersen, born in Pawnee City, Xebr., the daughter ..f 
K. L Andersen, now ot Pomona, and by her he has had two children. 
C Richard and .Mary Louise. H. and his family are members of the 
I dgrim Congregational Church of Pom<.na, and he is the teacher 
ot the Haraca class of the Sunday School. 

While a student In Pomona College. .Mr. I.orbeer belonged to 
the Lyceum and Debating Club, and as a member of the track team 



576 IIISTOKV AXl) JMOGRAl'llV 

he was one of the best track ineii that the college ever turned out. This 
experience doubtless had much to do with his active interest in the 
Boys' Brigade, of which he has been first lieutenant for the past twelve 
years, and which has proven a large factor in promoting a high 
standard of voung manhood among the boys of this city. The brigade 
company was organized in the old Pilgrim Congregational Church, 
when it was located at the corner of Third and Thomas streets, and 
from a start of twenty-three boys the company has grown rapidly until 
the membership had to be closed because of the lack of room. The 
new recruits \\ere largely from the ranks of boys not attending any 
Sundav school, and the officers of Pilgrim school found it hard to 
obtain teachers fast enough to take care of the increase. 

During the vears since its organization, the company has never 
lost its momentum, antl hundreds of hoys, between the ages of twelve 
and eighteen years, ha\e benefited by the splendid training gained in 
the organization. It has been found necessary each year to limit its 
membership, although the splendid gymnasium of Pilgrim Church 
affords much larger quarters and equipment far more efficient and sat- 
isfactory than did the first home of the brigade, which was in the 
rented hall of the second floor just west of the First National Bank. 

A recent report of the brigade ser\es to show something of the 
careful work done by Mr. Lorbeer and the other officers: 

"Starting with a small company of boys, it grew in a few weeks 
to many times its first number. Hundreds of boys ha\e been drawn 
into the Sunday School as active, earnest scholars, for each boy must 
keep up a certain efficiency in order to retain his membership. As Sun- 
day School attentlance is the main object of the brigade, the result has 
been that the average attendance at the weekly tlrill and Simday School 
is o\-er 92 per cent., which means almost a perfect attendance for each 
drill night, anei a large number of boys receive each year splendid 
medals, many of the boys reaching one hundred per cent., which means 
a perfect attendance for each drill night and Sunday School. 

"Pilgrim School has an almost unmatcheii record for having more 
boys in attendance than girls, which is due to the brigade. Teachers in 
the public schools have many times expressed themselves at the remark- 
able change enacted in the character ami actions of boys who have been 
thought unmanageable. This, together with the high compliments ex- 
tendeti by the superintendent of schools, shows the value of the military 
training which is carried on in the company. 

"Being a military organization and the bovs efHcientlv instructed 
in military drill, when the government ilecitled to install military drill 
in our pubbc schools, the superintentlent of schools invited the officers 
of the brigade company to meet him at his office, where he stated that 
the new svstem would require experienced boys to officer the new com- 
panies about to be formed, and he would ask their cooperation, and 
the cooperation of the boys of the brigade to help make the new system 



HISTORY AXn nioGKAI'IIV 577 

quickly efficient. This patriotic preparedness became a lar^e factor in 
the success of our school „,ilitary system. Durinf,^ the entire history of 
the company, the same officers have jrixen unstinted labor to pcrlect 
the orfjani/ation." 



KJXACTO O. \'FJAR 

An experienced, painstakin^r nnd successful steward of one of the 
histonc old ranch properties of Southern California is I^'iacio O 
\ejar, like his good wife— a descendant of the path-breakin- V„rb .s 
—a representative of some of the best pioneer stock in the st7.te I Ic 
was born at Spadra, in the Pomona Vallev. on April 6, 1S79. the son 
of Kamon \ ejar, and the grandson of Kicardo, both of whom are 
mentioned m more detail in the life story of Kamon W-jar, printed 
elsewhere in this work. Kicardo came from San Diego, and was a son 
of that Salvador \ ejar, a native of Spain come to Mexico, whom the 
Mission I- athers obtained to help build the Missions, particularly that 
at San Gabriel. Ricardo settled in the early davs on the San fosc 
Kancho. lived in an old adobe and ran two stores! made friends with 
the Indians, when they were friendly, and fought them when thev were 
not. Kamon, still living and honored of all who know him, his irray 
hairs evidencing the snows of almost ninety winters, long farmed his 
share of the estate, and married Teresa Palomares, the daughter of 
Ignacio Pa omares, whose name the town of Palomares bore- 

old to the hungry and thirsty who came for free barbecue, codec 

emonade, and even ( and for that tim. rather a luxury) ice water. 

u.thout money and without price. There were tweh e children in this 

Hourish.ng family of Kamon and Teresa Vejar, and Ignacio was the 

seventh m the order of birth. 

He attended the public schools of Pomona, and then took a bus 
ness course at Lordsburg College, after which he assisted his fathe 
to manage the home place. Later, he spent three years in Guatemala 
Central America as foreman of a large coffee plantation, and while 
there had an excellent opportunity to witness the CNoIution of a Central 
American revolution, and the tactics of the revolutionists There 
were many stirring esents, and he had not a few narrow escapes 
Having returned to California and his home place, he has since been 
manager o. h,s father s ranch, which is In walnut trees and yields large 
crops. Lnder his far-sighted management, this ranch has year by year 
eclipsed Its own record of excellent performance, and is today rather u 
show place for those making a study of ranch development. Mr \ei ,r 

thr'cnnT^"' "T'? "'' '" """■'^"■''= ''•"^^ '' ^'"" ^^■'^'^'•"^ ^^'ving th"at 
they constitute a model property. 

When Ignacio \ejar married, in Anaheim, March 12, l')il^ he 
allied himself, through Miss Mary Vorba, a native of ( )range County. 



I- 
er 



578 HISTORY AXD BlDGKAlMIV 

with one ot the oldest and most illustrious of the Spanish-American 
pioneers; and with their children, \'iola, Leo and Carrie, all of whom 
still attend school, thev add to the number of devout communicants of 
the Roman Catholic Church. Mrs. N'ejar is a daughter of Don \'in- 
cente and Erolinda (Cota) Yorba. Her grandfather, Bernardo 
Yorba, was one of the largest landowners in Orange County, ^'incente 
Yorba died on his ranch at Yorba, being survived by his widow. Airs. 
Yorba was the third oldest of their six children, and was educated in 
the public schools and at the Pomona Business College. Mr. Vejar 
is a member of the Knights of Columbus. 



THL RMAN J. STEVES 

In few things, perhaps, has California been more fortunate, on 
the average, than in the high order of men to whom has been entrusted 
the direction of her municipalities; and this has ne\er been better 
illustrated than in the case of Thurman J. Steves, the Chairman of the 
Board of Trustees of La Verne. He was born in Redwood Countv, 
Minn., on January 1, 1879, the son of Jonathan Steves, a native of 
Montreal, Canada, who came with his parents when a boy to Redwood 
County, Minn., where he grew up and became a successful farmer, and 
he is still li\ing, honored of a wide circle of friends. He married Miss 
Lydia Wiggins, a native of Minnesota, by whom he had four chil- 
dren, Ray of La Verne; May, who has become Mrs. Herbert Schisler, 
living at Pomona; another daughter. Pearl, now Mrs. J. B. Cleaver, 
also of Pomona; and Thurman J., the subject of our review, who is 
the oldest of all. 

Twenty-six years ago Jonathan Steves came to La \'erne from 
Minnesota, and bought hve acres of raw land on East Third Street, 
where he planted an orange grove, so that he was one of the pioneers 
that pointed the way to success in. that Held. That grove, brought 
to a good state of perfection, he still owns. He ser\ed for four vears 
as a city trustee of La \'erne. and is now a director in the Old Baldy 
Water Company. 

Thurman Steves was educated in the local schools, and for four 
years worked at the old Evergreen Orange Ranch, where he followed 
the orange industry in the \'alley. He now owns an orange grove of 
rive acres, and is half owner with his father in another grove of ten 
acres of oranges in bearing. He, too. has become an active developer 
hereabouts of the orange industry, his rive-acre ranch, for example, 
in 1919 having produced 3,000 boxes of Navel oranges valued at 
S5,000 — a rine record. He is secretary and treasurer of the Old Baldy 
Water Company, which he helped to organize, a rine system that 
ser\es no less than thirty-three growers with irrigating water. A 
believer in cooperation for fruit growers Mr. Ste\es was a member of 




(^^<1^^^."^ 



IIIST()R^■ AM) |•.l()(•.R.\i'iI^• 5S1 

Xiirth I'onioiia Exchange until thi.- La N'cnu- <)rahp;L' (irowcrs I \- 
chaiige was started, since which time he has heen a member ol it. 1 le 
has been a city trustee tor five years, anil at present presides ii\ir 
the JeHberadons of that aufjust town boiiy. 

In September, 1904, at I. a \'erne, Mr. Steves was married to 
Miss Amy Lapp, ot Iowa, and a ilauf^hter of Jacob and Amy Lapp: 
anti two ilau^htcrs ha\e blesseii the fortunate union — Marlon ami 
May. Ihe family are members of the Brethren Church ot I, a \'erne. 
of which Mr. Ste\es is a trustee and an active worker, belnff the teaclier 
of the Men's Bible Class. Mayor Steves was active in all Red Cross, 
war and Liberty Bontl drives, and also serves as a trustee ot the well- 
organl/cd ami well-conducted La \'erne public school. 



cry \ . \V 11 ALLY 

The fame of Pomona for its exceptional educational opportuni- 
ties, really one of the inducements which has made the city preeminent- 
ly a home town, cannot but be extended and assurcil throujfh the ap- 
pointment there recently ot Superintendent Cjuy \'. Whaley, late super- 
intendent of schools at San Diego, where he was under a four- 
year contract, waived in order to be near his parents at Pomona. With 
wide experience as an educator, Mr. Whaley comes to Pomona well 
prepared to take charge of the city's educational system. His recom- 
mendations from the State L'nl\ersity and from Stanford University 
certify him as one of the best qualified men in the state; through fre- 
quent visits to Pomona, he is known to be in complete accord with the 
ideals and plans of the newly-elected board of education; ami It is 
natural that the board is pleased that it has been able to persuade Mr. 
Whaley to make the geographical change. 

Superintendent ^^'haley was born at Dow City, Iowa, on Februar\ 
2.^, 1877, the son of W. \'. Whaley, a native of Ohio, who married 
Rebekah A. Simms, daughter of John F. Simms and Catherine Draper 
Simms, and a native of Ohio; and as a boy he attended the public 
schools at Dow City. Later, he studied at the L'niversity of Iowa, 
where he specialized in biology: but he had previouslv been graduated 
from the Denison Normal, had taught school in the rural districts of 
Iowa for three years, and also pursued courses at Simpson's College at 
Indianola, Iowa. All In all, he was eleven years in Iowa schools, and 
in that time was principal of the high school at Stuart; supervising 
principal of the schools at Corinth: city superintendent of schools at 
Correctionville. antl also city superintendent of the Perry, Iowa, 
schools. 

Dn coming to Pomona, in l^OO, Superlntenilent Whalev did a full 
year and one summer session of special work as a student at Pomona 
College, receiving departmental honors in economics and historv. I le 
then entered Stanfonl Lnlvcrsitv and there maile a brilliant record 



582 lllS'i■()R^' AXD r.loGRAI'lTV 

and was graduated with high honors. Alter lea\ing Stanford he was 
made principal of the Ki\erview Union Higli School at Antioch, Cal., 
and later he continueti his education at the Uni\ersity of California, 
which gave him his master's tlegree in education. His old position at 
Perry was again offered him at an advanced salary, but he declined, 
preferring to remain in California. 

A higher salary drew Mr. Whaley away from Antioch to Vallejo, 
which liad a larger school system with greater responsibilities and 
greater opportunities for advancement, and for five and one-half years 
.Mr. Whaley served Vallejo to the entire satisfaction ol the school 
authorities there and the people generally. When, however, the San 
Diego school board offeretl him the superintenciency there, the circum- 
stances leading up to their action was such that he could not well refuse 
to accept. The board had asked the two universities, California and 
Stanford, to recommend the most suitable man for the place; and 
Mr. Whaley was named and elected before he e\en knew that San 
Diego was seeking a school head. He made no application, therefore, 
for the position, but was elected on the recommendations of the univer- 
sities. As a matter of fact. Mr. Whaley's work at San Diego was so 
successful in every way that the board of education was reluctant to 
release him from his contract, and at first refused to let him go;, but 
when it was understood that his desire was to li\e near his parents, the 
board reconsidered its action. 

That Superintendent Whaley is t'amiliar with school administra- 
tion was demonstrated many times at the first meetings of the Pomona 
board of education, at \\hich he was present. His ad\"ice was frequently 
sought by the board on important questions, and he was always prompt 
with an answer based upon his knowledge of school law anti adminis- 
tration, or upon wide experience. His recommendations respecting 
the employment of three expert teachers elected by the board showed 
that efficiency is his aim. and that the best ser\ice, and only the best, 
will be offered to public school patrons. Superintendent Whaley 
showed the keenest interest in the problems witli which the Pomona 
board was dealing, and se\eral times requested that he might be per- 
mitteil to take an acti\-e part in the solution of some of the knotty 
matters long before the authorities. He asketl In particular that he 
might have the super\ision of any adjustments respecting new rooms 
or new lighting, as his knowledge of modern methods made him natu- 
rally interested in such contemplated changes for the Pomona schools. 
The members of the board indicated their pleasure at this desire to 
render the highest service, and assured Mr. Whaley that his advice 
would be eagerly sought, and he should ha\e free control of such part 
of the administration. 

On August 24, 1905, and at Cliesley, Ontario, Canada, Mr. 
Whaley was married to Miss Mary l^lizabeth Reed, a native of 
Ontario, Canada, and the daughter of Cieorge W. and Alice Robinson 





QJU^ 



<jL, 




HISTORY AND I'.inc.RAI'IIV 5S5 

Reed. Two children. Harold Reed and Warren Paul Whaley, blessed 
the union. Mrs. Whaley passed away in 1918 after a long illness. 
While they had lived at Pomona, Mr. and. .Mrs. Whaley were active 
members of the Trinity .Methodist Church: and .Mr. Whaley has 
retained his membership in that communion. 

During the summer session of the San Diego State Normal 
School, Professor Whaley was both a teacher and a lecturer. At 
Stanford, during his residence, he belonged to the Acacia Fraternity, 
and upon graduation was accorded membership in the Phi Delta 
Kappa fraternity, which is the honorary eilucational fraternity of the 
United States. While in Iowa. Mr. Whaley became a member of 
Burning Bush Lodge, A. F. & A. M.. at Correctionville. Iowa, Pal- 
myra Chapter, R. A. M.. ami Gerard Commandery. Knights Templar, 
at Perrv. in that state. 



MISS M. AFICF SKY.MOLR 

England may boast of the birth of M. Alice Seymour, a lady who 
has attained more than local fame in one of the new industries of 
the Pacific Coast, and was educated in the schools of her native land. 
and came to America in 1906, locating for a while at Hunters Hot 
Springs, Park County, Mont. In 1916 she came to California to 
make a study of both the citrus and deciduous fruit industries: and 
coming to Pomona, she worked as fruit packer in the Pomona Fruit 
Growers Exchange Packing House, and also In the Pomona X'alley 
Cannery. 

After perfecting herself in both branches, she settled at Anaheim. 
in Orange Count)', and entered the employ of the Crawford .Marma- 
lade Factory. She perfected herself In all'the branches of marmalade 
making, and was promoted to the head of the cooking department. 
In the spring of 1919. a change took place In the superintendency of 
the San Dimas factory, and she was then made manager. This would 
perhaps call for less comment were It not true that .Miss Sevmour has 
the unique distinction of being one of two women to become managers 
of packing or manufacturing plants devoted to the citrus fruit Industry 
in Southern California. 

I he making of marmalade — a toothsome delicacy associated 
with memories of orange groves and losing none of its attraction 
because It was a preserve originally made from quinces Instead of 
citrus fruit — on a large, commercial scale In Southern California was 
started by Thomas Crawford at Anaheim, who commenced operations 
in a small way and Incorporated his undcj-taklng. as the business grew, 
mto the Exchange Orange Product Company. The factory In San 
Dimas, a branch of the .Anaheim factory, was built in September, 
1918. and has been wonderfully successful from the start. When run 
at full capacity, the San Dimas factory Uirns out from sixteen to 



586 IT1ST()R^■ AND i:i( M'.RAIM lY 

eighteen thousand pounds of niarmahide a day. which is packed in glass 
jars anil marketed through the Cahlornia l-ruit Ciroucrs J'^xcliange. 
The Company also has a plant in Toronto, Canada, to which point it 
ships the raw materials, ^^•hich are there made up into the tinished 
product. 

Miss Annie Crawl ord, sister ot Thomas Crawford, brought the 
recipes tor Sunkist Marmalade from Scotland, and this marmalade is 
made in California right where the best oranges grow. The spick- 
and-span kitchens, supervised by Miss Crawford and Miss Seymour, 
where Sunkist Marmalade is cooked, are owned and operated by the 
growers themselves, and Sunkist Marmalade is marketed by the^e 
same growers through their own cooperative organization — the Cali- 
fornia Fruit Growers Exchange. This is the association of growers 
which also markets the famous Sunkist oranges, lemons and grapefruit. 

In the making of this famous California delicacy, the fresh, ripe 
fruit is taken from the groves of members, after which the yellow part 
of the peel is carefully remo\cd. The fruit is then cooked down to 
get all the rich, pure juice. I he thin, yellow peel is finely shredded so 
it will not form lumps, and all pulp and white part of the peel are 
discarded. Next, the juice and shredded peel are cooked together, and 
pure sugar and a little grapefruit or lemon juice are added. Nothing 
else goes into it — no pulp, glucose, no preser\'ati\'e of any kind \\hat- 
ever. Two pounds of fruit are cooked down to make one pound of 
marmalade, and so the full orange fla\'or is obtained. The cooking 
is done at the factory much the same as it is by most people at home 
when they make preser\-es. Small, indi\idual gas stoves are used, 
ami only a few pounds are cooked at a time; to be exact, less than 
four gallons. Nor is tliere any hurry. Fhcre are no "short-cut" 
methods. Each kettle is watched indi\'idually, and the contents are 
constantly stirred and tested until they are done just right. With the 
costlier small sto\e and slow cooking, the "home taste" is acquired. 

All the cooks of the Sunkist factory are women, and they work 
under the super\-ision of a Scotchwoman, a connoisseur of marmalades 
and preserves, who brought the recipes to this country, and intrcnkiced 
the small-sto\-e as the only rational method. She selected, she says, 
women cooks exclusi\'ely as her assistants because "no man, no matter 
how able, was e\-er a cook by instinct." Thus the Sunkist factory, 
now so well established and becoming more and more celebrated, has 
three policies — "home materials," "home sto\es," and "home cooks" 
— looking to real "home taste." 

In November, 1919, Miss Seymour sexered her connection with 
the Exchange Orange Products Company at San Dimas to accept a 
position tendered by California I'ood Products Company of Anaheim, 
manufacturers of marmalades, jams and preserves, to which she is 
now giving the same careful attention and time. The abo\e is a new 
plant just started by the Anaheim Sugar Company. 



lUSTOkV AMJ l;|( (CkAl'llV 'S7 

I". Tin DDHR SIDI'.RHOI.M 

riiouj^h born in l;ir-away Mnlaiui, 1"!. IhcinJor Sctlcrholm has 
spent all ot Ills mature lite in this country, and has reached a position 
of high standing in his ailopted country, which he has ser\ed with all 
the earnest capability tor which his ancestry is noted. A native ol 
I lelsingtors, he was born January 26, 1860, a son ot Clas Iheoiior 
and Sophia (Blomquist) Seilcrholm, the father a publisher, the author 
of several books, and also interested in steamship operation: his life 
span was from 1S32 to 1881. and that of his wife from 18.H to 1886. 
1'^. Theodor was the eldest in a family of eight born to his parents, 
and was educated in the schools of Finland, both elementary, college 
and the University of Finland, and obtained the degree of mechanical 
engineer in 1880. I- or a short time thereafter he followed his pro- 
fession in Russia, then, in 1881, came to the United States, locating in 
Philadelphia, where he was with the Baldwin Locf)moti\e Works a 
short time. Later in that same year he went to Milwaukee and spent 
most of his time with the Edward P. Allis Company, and also with 
Holiman & Billings Manufacturing Company, as chief engineer, 
putting in seven years in all. FroiTi Milwaukee he went to Chicago, as 
chief engineer of Fraser & Chalmers, Inc., and for fourteen years was 
with that firm, during this time acting as consulting engineer for their 
I"lnglish house and traveled for them in Europe, Central America, 
Africa and Alaska. His health finally failed under the strain, and he 
rested for a few years; and on recovery went back to Milwaukee, 
with the Nordberg Manufacturing Companv. remaining with them 
until 1913. 

That year marks the date of Mr. Sedcrholms arrival in Pomona. 
anil here he turned from the more exacting business of following his 
profession to that of fruit growing, which he has followed successfully 
since that time, and has in the meantime been connected with the 
Indian Hill Citrus Association, first as director, then vice-president, 
and then as president of the company. In 1918 Mr. Sederholm 
resigned to accept an appointment froni the United States Shipping 
Board, first as district mechanical engineer of the (jrcat Lakes District. 
following which he was district plant engineer, stationed at Cleveland: 
he traveled continuously in attending to his important duties, and worked 
even harder for "Uncle Sam" than he had for himself in former 
years, giving sixteen months to the work and cheerfully sacrificing his 
own interests to those of his country. 

The marriage of Mr. Sederholm. which occurred on September 
24, 1885, united him with Miss Amanda H. Hintzc, a native of Wis- 
consin, and into their happy home life they adopted two children: 
Jack Robbins Sederholm, serving his native land in the merchant 
marine; and Elizabeth, attending high school. Fond of music and 
science, Mr. Sederholm has found time to devote to both hobbies, and 



588 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

to the study of shipbuilding. Fraternally, he is prominent in Masonic 
circles, and is a member of the Knights Templar and a thirty-second 
degree Scottish Rite Mason, holding membership in Chicago. In 
political belief he is a Republican, and in civic affairs he is actively 
interested in all matters which have for their object the further 
advancement of Pomona Valley along all branches of development 
work. Mr. Sederholm is a member of the American Society of Me- 
chanical Engineers, and the Society of Naval Architects and Marine 
Engineers. Mr. Sederholm has patented many inventions along the 
line of his profession. It would be hard to find a man more in 
accord with the spirit of true Americanism than this patriot of many 
attainments. 



ELMER E. IZER 

The founder of the Pomona Manufacturing Company, Elmer E. 
Izer, and its president up to the time of his death at Pomona, Cal., 
August 26, 1918. was a native of the State of Maryland, where he was 
born at Hagerstown July 22, 1851. When a young man he removed 
to Alliance, Ohio, and learned the machinist trade, which he followed 
until he came to Pomona in 1898 and engaged in a bicvcle repair and 
sales shop. 

In March, 1902. Mr. I/er organized the Pomona Manufacturing 
Companv. This plant, which started in a small way in an old barn, 
was the first plant in the \'alley to make deep well pumps and the irri- 
gation \-alves used in irrigating pipes. The pumps are installed in 
orchards and on alfalfa ranches. The business grew and expanded 
until it is now the largest manufacturing plant in Pomona Valley and 
one of the largest in the United States devoted to the making of deep 
well pumps. The company supply three-fourths of the pumps used in 
Pomona ^"alley and occupy a large, modern, up-to-date place of busi- 
ness. The United States Iron Works Company of Kansas City. Mo., 
are its Eastern agents. 

Mr. Izer married Elizabeth McCain, daughter of Nelson Mc- 
Cain, pioneer of Pomona, who died from the effects of a paralytic 
stroke April 5. 1919. He was a native of Putnam County, Ind.. was 
born in 1831, and during his early years engaged in the occupation of 
farming. As a young man he was ordained as a minister in the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church and at the outbreak of the Civil War joined 
the Union army as a chaplain, and served for four years in that ca- 
pacity. Pre\"ious to coming to Pomona in 1887, he had spent some 
time there, and after 1887 made his home continuously in that city. He 
was a man of strong personality and was always held in the highest 
esteem by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. Mr. McCain 
married Mary Richie in Missouri, where she was born, and she lives at 
Huntington I'ark. Three sons and one daughter preceded him to the 



HISTORY AM) r.lnt.KAl'llV -S'' 

bcvonil. aiui live liau^jhters and one son arc Iclt to nidurn liis loss, 
namely: Mrs. I. H. Copeland, Los Angeles; Mrs. K. ( i. Ciillcn. 
Huntinjiton Park: .Mrs. D. .\. Cullen, l.os Ani^elcs: .Mrs. I . ] . l/cr, 
I'omona: .Mrs. <). I.. Butler ot Arroyo Grande, Cal.. and .M. (ir;i:it 
.McCain of I'otnona. 

Mr. Izer was a man ot sterling character and great e\eciiti\ e and 
business ability, and his untimely ilemisc was deeply deplored by a large 
circle of friends. Fraternally he was a prominent member of the 
I. O. (). I-., and had passed all chairs of that orj^anization. .Mrs. I/er 
has one adopted daughter, Mildred I/er. 



GEORGK WIL.MOM I OHi:i5TI::K, .M.D. 

I-ortunate generally in her representatl\ es of the learned profes- 
sion, Pomona has been especially so in such splendidly trained physi- 
cians and surgeons as Dr. George \\'ilmoMt I orester, who was born 
at Lexington. Mich., on January 6, 1S64. His tather was Wesley 
Justice l-orester, well known in official and scientific circles as construc- 
tion superintendent of the L nited States (government in the very im- 
portant work of erecting lighthouses and building wharves. His wife 
was Esther Jamima Beecher before her marriage ; and she was a second 
cousin to Henry Ward Beecher, the great pulpit orator. They had 
four children, and George was the third in the order of birth. 

He began his education at the grammar and high schools at Che- 
boygan, Mich., and at eighteen finished his studies at the high school. 
In 1884 he went to Dexter, Iowa, where he spent one year at the 
Xormal School and in 1887 he came to California and attended the 
medical department of the L'niversit\- of Southern California, .\fter 
this he spent a year at the Northern Indiana Normal at N'alparaiso, 
then entered Drake Lniversity at Des .Moines, Iowa, where he was 
graduated March 4. 1894. \\ith the degree of M.D. Thus e(]uipped 
with a hrst-class foundation, he next took a course in pharmacy at 
Highland Park College and Normal School at Des Moines, from which 
he was graduated in 1897 with the degree of Ph.G., and since then, to 
keep abreast of his profession, he has taken post-graduate work in New 
York or other large cities every year. When he began to practice he 
had an office three years in Des Moines anil there extended his reputa- 
tion for learning and skill. 

In 1898 he came to Pomona, and he soon aided in building 
the first hospital here, at the head of which he officiated for six years, 
or until the .Municipal Hospital was built. Besides his j'lrofessionnl in- 
terests, he has orange groves in a high state of culti\ ation, hn\ ing hail 
manv of them, some of which he set out and improved. 

On March 4. 1891. Doctor ! d to M ' ■ 

Belle Williams, a nativeof Illinois. vecom. 



500 HISTORY AXD r.lOC'.RAl'HV 

their union. Hazel W. is a graduate of the University of Soutliern 
CaHfornia and is a physician, practicing with her father; the second 
child is William, a rancher in Saskatchewan, Canada; while the third is 
Frank, blind but brilliant, a graduate of Perkins Institute and responsi- 
ble for several bills passed by the legislature and designed to help in 
the educating of the blind. He is now studying law, and bids fair to be 
heard from in that field. The family attend the Trinity Methodist 
Church. 

Doctor lorester is a Republican, but one who is e\ er ready to co- 
operate witli neighbors representing other platforms in the improve- 
ment of local conditions. He is a Knight of Pythias, an t'.ik, a .Macca- 
bee, and also belongs to the Fraternal Aid, and e\erywhere he is 
popular socially. 



FRED KALTEXBECK 

A hotel manager whose wide experience of years ha\e enabled him 
to establish and conduct some of the best hostelries, for their size, in all 
California, while he has become one of the most popular hosts with the 
tra\eling public, is Fred Kaltenbeck, the proprietor of the Hotel Avis 
at Pomona. He is a native of Delaware County, New York, and was 
born in Roxbury \illage and reared on a farm. When a young man, 
he remo\ed to Stanton, Montcalm County, Mich., and for twelve years 
conducted a general store and at the same time ran a hotel. Then he 
located at Middlesboro, Bell County, Ky., where he ran a dairy, 
while he also conducted a hotel for seven years. He made his hotel 
one of the best in the county, and built up an exceptionally good trade. 

Desiring to get into the metropolis, he sold out and mo\-ed to New 
^ ork City, where he conducted a wholesale produce business on tlie 
corner of Twelfth Avenue and Thirty-fourth Street. His usual ability 
to please also stood by him in that \ enture, so that his seven years there 
were vears ot increasing success. 

Ha\ing tu'ice \isited California and become acquainted with the 
wonderful possibilities of the (jolden State, Mr. Kaltenbeck came to 
California in 1905, and located in Pomona, where he leased the Kellar 
House, antl soon atteruard took o\er the lease of the Palomares Hotel. 
At the end of five years, however, he located in Los Angeles and there 
leased two different apartment houses, the Ponet Square and the Fond 
du Lac, on South ( irand Avenue. He later conducted the Casa Loma 
Hotel at Retllanils tor live years and then leased the Casa Blanca Hotel 
at Ontario, which he managed for two years. In June, 1919, he came 
again to Pomona and leased the Hotel Avis. 

This hotel was erected in 1916 by Walter M. Avis, and is one of 
the best hotels in Pomona \'alley, and, in keeping with modern de- 
mands, has sixty rooms, all a part of a ii\ e-story modern brick struc- 



IIISTORV AXD I'.lor.RAl'lIV ;•»! 

tiirc. Many of its appointments arc due entirely to the conihination of 
Mr. Kaltenbeck's experience and taste with the good jiid^^nient dis- 
played by the original builder. 

At Koxbury, X. Y., Mr. Kaltenbeck married Miss Nettie Frishie, 
a native of Delaware County, that state, and two daughters were horn 
to them, both now deceased. .Mary married John Flnoper, by whom 
she had a son; and Maude became the wife of .M. F. Fisk and the 
mother of a daughter. .Mr. Fisk is associated in business with .Mr. 
Kaltenbeck. 



JOHN L. TYI.FR, .M.D. 

A distinguished nati\e of Illinois boasting of good oKl Scotch- 
English ancestry and descent from thoroughly loyal and efficient Revo- 
lutionary stock is Dr. John L. Tyler, the well-known veterinarv sur- 
geon of Pomona, who was born at Chebanse, in Iroquois Countv, on 
February 19, 1870. His father was John Jefterson Tyler, and his 
mother was, in maidenhood, Idi/abeth Janet Acklev, and soon after 
their marriage settled in Illinois in 1850. where they endured the pri- 
vations and discomforts of pioneer life on the then frontier. 

John L., when fifteen years old, removed to Arkansas, where the 
family lived for a time, and then he returned to Chebanse to finish his 
common school education. Next he entered and in 1891 he was grad- 
uated from the Chicago \'eterinary College, but he almost immediately 
took up the study of medicine and two years later was given his .M.D. 
degree and diploma as a graduate of the National University of St. 
Louis. Coming back to his native town he practiced medicine there 
from 1893 until 1898. and then, having removcil to Otterbein, Ind., 
he continued his practice there. He was also a physician at Crowley, 
La., from 1900 until 1902, when he returned to Indiana and for two 
years practiced medicine at .Mexico. 

On account of ill-health. Dr. Tyler sought the salubrious climate 
of California, and on May 1. 1904, arrived in Pomona. After a short 
time, he removed to Long Beach, where he first began the practice of 
veterinary medicine; and a year and a half later he opened an office at 
Los Angeles. Such was his success in the new field of medicine that he 
continued there as a veterinary until April, 1910, when he located in 
Pomona, where he has been acti\e ever since. 

While in Los Angeles, Doctor Tyler was appointed Deputy State 
Veterinary Inspector, and traveled all over the state: and for the past 
six years he has been a member of the Pomona Board of Health. On 
August 22. 1919, he was honored by Cioverncr S»ephens with appoint- 
ment to a membership in the State Board of Kxaminers in N'etcrlnary 
-Medicine; and at a meeting of the Board in oan Francisco early in 
October of that year he was elected secretary. In his private practice 
he specializes on cattle, and has recently perfected and put on the 



5 J HISTORY AND BiOGRAPHV 

'~'e instrument known as the "dilator." which has fast 
irv. He owns a iifteen-acre ranch east of Chino. on 
which he raises beans, com and walnuts. Thus, fortihed with a 
■' :' ' " "_ -al. Doctor Tyler has become 

__ . ,_ ,_-: ,;, .. ,,.jns in the state, with an envi- 

able experience in agriculture useful to one dealing with cattle. 

At Onarga. 111.. Doctor Tvler was married to Miss Lucretia M. 
Peck, a narive oi Illinois, bv whom he has had one daughter. Irene, 
now the wife of M. L. Chaney of \Yhirtier. Cal. Doctor and Mrs. 
Tvler are active members of the South Methodist Church of Pomona. 
where the doctor is chairman of the board of stewards: and Doctor 
Tvler is a Mason, a Knight of P\thias and a Modern Woodman. 



IRA A LEE 

A "'•-"'- — ■-' of Pomona whose untiring activities affect the 
dailv ac. :s of many ot the citizens of both town and Valley, 

and whose i.-^regrit)-. high sense of dut>", and varied and valuable ex- 
perience form the most desirable assurance that whate\ er he under- 
takes will be carried to the most successrul conclusion possible, is Ira A. 
Lee. the secretary and manager of the Irrigation Company of Pomona. 
He T^ ' Counrv. Iowa, on April 25. 1S73. the son of 

Aar Macey ) Lee. 

The fourth child in the order of birth, Ira A. attended the rural 

strict, and - : what he learned there with 

^ and keen of daily life. He remained 

with his tather on the tarm until he was twent\' years of age. during 

" ' ~ Jes of Middle \Ye5t agriculture. 

- :i in the great "boom" period of 

1 8SS. as a young man. when young men especially were trying to make 
things hum here. 

Five years arter nrst locating in this favored region. Mr. Lee 
entered the employ, as outside man, of the Irrigation Company of Po- 
mona, and then as Zaniero of the water district, Silling a time-honored 
oiice that descended, with its historic name, from early California 
davs. Since 1912. Mr. Lee has had the office work of the company 

e\ er did it more thoroughly or to the greater 
>..- :. - :.. . ...:/. whom the water company have to deal. 

Mr. Lee has also tollowed the development of real estate, in 
sell has from, time to time dealt, and with especial quali- 
: - - . . just that kind of enterprise, he has become an authority on 

land valuations. He is appraiser for the Los Angeles County probate 
court of Judge J. C. Reeves, and was selected by the judge as appraiser 
of the ver}- important Louis Phillips estate of Pomona — the largest 
and most valuable estate in the ^'allev, and one running into the mil- 



co- 



H: 



i»tr 



594 IIISTOKV AND IU( X^RAIMIV 

Crookshank. He bought the home in which he at present resides at 
498 Kenoak Drixe, one of the choice residences of the town. He has 
frequently been asked to run for public office, but always has refused. 

In the year 188.? and at l-'ranklin, Tenn., Mr. Travis was married 
to Miss Minnie Kersey, who was born in Indiana, the daughter of 
David M. and Catherine (N'ernon) Kersey, pioneers of that country. 
He belongs to I'omona Lodge No. 789, of the B. P. O. Klks, in which 
he has attained all chairs except that of Exalted Ruler, which lie re- 
fuseil to accept on account of the demands of his business. He is prac- 
tically a charter member of the Elks, for he joinetl shortly after the 
lotlge was formed. In social circles, therefore, as well as in the world 
of commerce, Mr. Travis is kept busy on account of his popularity. 

Mr. Tra\-is has been closely associatei.1 with the growth and de- 
\elopment of the Pomona \'alley, and is one of the men who, when 
railroading, was one of the best posteil on attairs of all kinils in the 
Valley. 



ROBERT STUDER 

The genial proprietor of the Claremont Inn, Robert Studer was 
born in Canton, St. Gall, Switzerland, September 25, 1871. Elis 
father, John R. Studer, migrated Irom Switzerland to New York City 
as a )'oiuig man and for some years was engaged In business there, 
until he returned to Switzerland and while living there the soii Robert 
was born, and when he was a babe of nine months, his parents again 
returned to New York Citv. 

Robert Studer was reared in New York City and in Hoboken, 
N. J., receiving a good education in the public schools, after which he 
learned the cooper's trade, which he followed until he moved out to San 
Antonio, Texas, where he followed his trade and ranching for eleven 
years. In 1901 he came to Los Angeles, where he had charge of the 
grading of streets in Florencita addition for Mr. Rowan, after which 
he removed to Santa Clara County, where he was in the employ of 
Hays Bros.' packing house for a period and then he leased and ran a 
farm for a time, when he returned to San i'\ntonio and for the next six 
years engaged in ganlening. However, his liking for California was 
so great it overshadoweil his interest in Fexas and he came back to Los 
Angeles and soon afterwards located in Claremont. In 1916 he pur- 
chased the Claremont Inn, where his ability and amiable manner has 
made him successful and he has built u)) a large and splendid business, 
which is rapiilly growing. 

In San Antonio, Texas, occurred the marriage of Mr. Studer and 
Mrs. J'.nuna Eangerou. She was a native of Germany and they have 
three children: Annie (Mrs. Strange), of Ontario; Robert ]., and 
Paul R. 



IlISTi »m' AM) IIM M'.RAl'llV 5''5 

Bv her first niurriay;c Mrs. Stiicicr had ti\c chiKlrcii : Mata ( Mrs. 
Crowe), of Texas; Walter, who is a meniher ot tlie Fraternal Order 
of I-^agles and is assisting Mr. Studer in his business; William was with 
the Pacific Flectric in Los Angeles until he enlisted in the I'niteii States 
Armv, serving overseas as a sergeant; I'.nima (Mrs. Patterson), of 
Pomona; anil .Mrs. (jretchen Zio\ana/zi, of l.os Angeles. 

Mr. Studer is a Republican in national politics and is a \ery liberal 
and enterprising citi/en. 



iii.NRY A. kri;iimii:l 

An aggressively-operating wholesaler who has always found time, 
in the midst of a busy life, for public-spirited work, is Henry A. 
Krehbiel, the well-known dealer in Hour, feed and potatoes in Pomona. 
He was born in West Point. Lee County, Iowa, on .NLiy 14, 1865, the 
son of John C. Krehbiel, a .Mennonite minister, who was witiely 
esteemed for practicing what he preached. Llis wite was Katherinc 
Raber before her marriage, and she became the mother ot ten chil- 
dren. Both now rest from their earthly labors. 

Hcnrv A., the youngest child, had the ordinary advantages of 
the country school, and in time he worked at various occupations until 
he entered the Hour mills of .McPherson County, Kans.. in which tielil 
he advanced more and more until he had rounded out twenty years as a 
miller. Then, in November, 19(IS, he decided to leave the Middle 
West and settle on the Pacific Coast. 

Fortunately for all concerned, California attracted him in par- 
ticular; and more fortunately, he had his attention tlirecteil to Pomona, 
ami here early settled. Fie established his present expamling business, 
and ever since he threw open the doors, he has been rewarded with 
success. Besides this well-planned and well-ilirecteil enterprise, Mr. 
Krehbiel also has an apple orchanl in Yucaipa \'alley in a high state 
of development; and to this venture he gives much of his time. He is 
a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and actively supjiorts its 
ever-changing, but important programs. 

\\'hen Mr. Krehbiel married, at .Moiuul Ridge, Kans.. and on 
December 24, 1891, he chose tor his wife a huly ot the same family 
name, but in nowise related to him — Miss Katie L. Krehbiel; and by 
her he has had four children. .Myrtle I-, has become .Mrs. .\. B. Crane 
of Osage City, Kans.; Donald died in Kansas in 19(17, In his eighth 
year; Delyte attends the high school of Pomona, and Harohl is in the 
grammar school. A Republican in national [lolitics. Mr. Krehbiel has 
served as a city councilman in Lindsborg, Kans.; while as a Presby- 
terian he has always worked for the extension of the (iospel ami the 
improvement of spiritual affairs. I le was active in all the war drives, 
and put his shoulder to the wheel to help along the I.ibertv Loans ami 
the beneficent work of the \\cd Cross. 



596 HISTORY AND IJlUGRAl'liV 

WILLIAM WILLARD STOVER 

Intcrcsteii in the orange iiuiiistry liere for twenty years, \^■iIlianl 
Willard Sto\-er aided in that branch of development work in the 
\'alley, his hitter years being gi\en over to the persoiial supervision 
of the work in his grove. Born in Lena, Stephenson County, 111., 
January 30, 1863, he was a son of Zacharias and Margaret (Willard) 
Sto\er, nati\es of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively, who early set- 
tled in Lena, where the father was a merchant and stock raiser. After 
linishing his grammar school education William Willard attended the 
high school and after his graduation he took a course in the Phila- 
delphia College of Pharmacy. His father having renio\ed to Re- 
public, Ivans., and engaged in hanking, William was called from 
college to he cashier in the Republic County Bank, now the Citizens 
State Bank. He continueil as cashier from twenty-one years of age 
until the bank was sold in 1902. As early as 1892 he made a trip to 
California and purchased his original orange grove at Ontario, making 
occasional visits to look after it. The grove had just been set out and 
he had it caretl for, so that in 1902, when he moved hither, it was ten 
years old and bearing. On locating here, the family resided in Po- 
mona tor se\en years, engaged in buying, improving and selling orange 
groves. In 1909 they mo\ed to Claremont, and soon afterwards built 
their beautiful residence at 845 Indian Hill Boulevard. Here he 
passed a^ay, on January 17, 1912. He always retained the original 
orange gro\e which he had bought in 1892. While in Kansas he was 
also interested in farming and keeping stock, owning a farm of 400 
acres and leasing 320 acres more on which he raised corn and alfalfa. 
He was a Republican in political beliefs and in fraternal circles be- 
longed to the Ancient Order of Llnited W^orkmen. In church affairs, 
with his family he was a member of the Congregational Church, 
ha\ing been a trustee and deacon of Pilgrim Congregational Church 
at Pomona. 

The marriage of Mr. Stover, on December 24, 1887, at White 
Rock, Kans., united him with Miss Frances Pairan. She was born in 
Lancaster, FairfieKI County, Ohio, the daughter of Charles Pairan, 
who was born in Wolfanger, Hesse-Cassel ; his father, Antone Pairan, 
was a native of France and later a teacher in Germany. Charles 
Pairan learned the mercantile business in his early irianhood, coming 
to Lancaster, Ohio; he married Marie Louise Mayer, a native of 
Lancaster, Ohio, and here engaged in the merchandising business, until 
he removed to White Rock, Republic County, Kans., where he took 
up the same line of business. Later he remov^ed to l-*ortland. Ore., and 
lived there retired until his death. Mrs. Pairan now makes her home 
with her daughter, Mrs. Stover. Mrs. Stover was thesecondyoungestof 
a family of seven children, four of whom are living, antl was educated in 
Ladies' Institute, in Atchison, Kans. Since Mr. Sto\-er's death she has 



inSTORV AXU BKXiRArilV 507 

resided at the old home on Indian Hill Boulevard, supcrintcndirifr her 
fifteen acres of orange grove, as well as the Kansas holdings. Mr. and 
Mrs. Stover had four children, three of whom are living: Willaril 
Pairan, a graduate of Pomona College, enlisted in the United States 
Naval Reserve forces and was stationed at San Pedro and Mare 
Island, and received a commission as ensign. He is now manager of 
the orange and walnut exchange at Hemet; Louise, after completing 
her work in the musical department of Pomona College and the Los 
Angeles Conservatory of Music, where she graduated, is now teaching 
piano in Claremont and Pomona; Margaret was a junior in Pomona 
College and died in May, 1918; and Clarence is a iunif)r in Pomona 
College. 



CHARLES G. SPENCi-R 

A supervising ofHcial who thoroughly understands his responsible 
tield of work and has long contributed toward greater efficiency in 
certain industries, is Charles G. Spencer, the far-seeing foreman of 
construction and installation for the Southern Counties Gas Company 
of Pomona. He was born in Morgan County, III., on October 2.3, 
1885, and grew up in a prosperous farming section, where he attended 
the plain but excellent district schools, the most disappointing feature 
of which was the shortness of the school terms. He worked hart! and 
long on his father's farm, so that it was left to him largelv to acquire his 
education and to solve his destiny. However, by hard, persistent study 
Mr. Spencer has made up for much that was then denied him. and he 
has become, to a remarkable degree, a well-educated man. 

With the exception of two years spent in the coal mines of .Mul- 
berry, Kans.. he worked on the home farm in Illinois until .March, 
1906, when he arrived in Santa Ana. Orange Countv. Cal.; and. as 
with so many other young men who first came out here, his first employ- 
ment was in the orange groves, picking fruit. Later still, he put in 
a year in the packing houses, and then he secured employment with the 
Edison Company, in the gas department of that corporation in Santa 
Ana. He began at the lowest round of the ladder, so to speak, and 
gained a very thorough knowledge of the manufacture of gas; and 
when he had hcKl the position for three years in that citv. he was trans- 
ferred to Long Beach, to serve in the same capacity, and still later to 
Whittier. where he remained for ti\e years. 

When the Southern Counties (jas Company was organized in 
1911. it took over the gas department of the Edison Companv. and 
Mr. Spencer then became associated with the Southern Counties Gas 
Company, on which account he has the honor of ha\ ing been one of 
their employees since its start. In June of 1916 Ik- was transferred 
to Pomona, and made foreman. Since 1916, the companv has been 
using natural gas. anil Mr. Speticer has had to familiarize himself with 



5^18 HISTORY AM) UK iCRAl'l IV 

the lU'w ilcparture. His position is a responsible one, tor he is called 
upon to direct and to look after the welfare of a considerable number 
of men. The company is constantly making expenditures, laying new 
mains and spreading out o\er the N'alley; and as Mr. Spencer has 
entire charge of all outside work, he is a very busy man. Able and 
devoted, it need hardly be saiil that he gives his employers and the 
(Hiblic entire satisfaction. 

At Santa Ana, on Xo\ember >, 1906, Mr. Spencer was marrieil 
to Miss Ada 1 li\, a nati\e of Santa Ana, and the daughter of Alva 
and Blanch 1 lix, pioneers of. Orange County, who came, to Santa Ana 
thirtv-sevcn years ago, when the town had only a couple of stores and 
few houses. One son lias blcssei.! the union, a hul namctl William A. 
Spencer. Mr. Spencer is a member of the Odd lelKnvs. 



EDWARD WALTER THOALAS 

One of the old settlers of San Dimas, Edward Walter Thomas 
was born at Ciaheston, Ind., September 28, 1862. His father, Da\id 
Thomas, was born in Johnstown, Pa., while the grandfather, also 
named Da\i(.l Thomas, was born in Wales and settled at Johnstown, 
Pa. Edward's father was a millwright and came out to Indiana when 
a young man, where he built aiui operated Hour mills. Later on he 
engaged in building and running sawmills and lumber manufacturing, 
being located at Galveston, Ind., where he had a large lumber yard. 
In 1879 he removed to Grand Island, Nebr., where he was among the 
early settlers to break prairie and improxe a farm. In 1890 he located 
in Pomona, setting out an orange gro\e on Holt Avenue. He died in 
Pomona, aged eighty \ears. Mr. Thomas' mother was Miss Louise 
Jane DeMoss before her marriage, and she Mas born in Galveston, 
Ind., of Irench descent, and she also passed away in Pomona two 
years alter her husbantl. This worthy couple had three children : Mrs. 
Mariella McEndree of Pomona; W. E. Thomas of Pomona, and E. 
W. Thomas, the subject of this sketch. The youngest of the family, 
he was reared in Indiana till 1879, when he came to Grand Island. 
Nebr., and received a good education in the public schools, after which 
he learned the dry goods business. Later, he bought out the store of 
his employer and continued in business until 1889, when he sold, came 
to California. arri\ing in Pomona in January, 1890, and six months 
later he engageil in the dry goods business on Second Street, continuing 
until 1893, when he disposed of his store and located in San Erancisco 
in the employ of the Hamburgers. There he continued for one year, 
when he (]uit to locate in Sacramento in the employ of Wasserman, 
Davis & Company tor two years, when he resigned and returned to 
Piimona, anil then he located in San Dimas and soon purchased an 
orange gro\e and engaged in citrus culture. Since then he has owned 
ti\e different gro\-es. e\erv one of which was a success, and was sold at 



HISTORY AXIJ iilOGKAI'ilV 

a prolit. In 1914 he tntcrcd the employ of the Eiwn.ui I ruit C<.... 
pany, and since then has heen foreman of their packing hf)use :y San 
Dimas, as well as being engaged in citrus growing. 

In Pomona occurred the marriage of Mr. Thomas and Myrtle 
R. Cowan, a native of Thorntown. Ind., of whom he was bereaved in 
1912, leaving him a daughter, Nadinc, now the wife of J. (,. .Middle- 
ton of San Dimas, a progressive, enterprising and liberal citizen. 
Mr. Thomas is an ardent protectionist and Republican. 



im- 



JOHX CAR.SON BOWl N 

In disposing of the chances that have come his wav in life. John 
Carson Bowen has evinced both discretion and sound business judg- 
ment and has won a place among the business men of his locality. 
Self-made in every sense implied by the term, he has become the 
proprietor of a business establishment by his own persevering efforts 
and is meeting with the success deserved by men of his caliber. Born 
October 20, 1S84, Mr. Bowen is a native of .Mt. Giicad. Ohio, and the 
son of John F. and Julia A. < Jenkins) Bowen. Five children were 
born to John F. and Julia Bowen. and the family have lived in Pomona 
since April. 1896. The father has passed on. and the mother is still 
living with her family surrounding her. 

I he youngest child born to his parents, John Carson Bowen. was 
' ated in the public schools of Pomona, and on finishing his school- 
^, learned bicycle repair work with E. K. Izer, later in the same- 
business with Padgham & Abbott for four years. He then fojnd 
employment with .Midgley Brothers, in the clothing business, remain- 
mg with them six years, two years with Harris Brothers, and for thj 
next three years was with Ivvans and Combe. 

After this length of time given to clerking. .Mr. Bowen f;;!: 
himself fitted to engage in business on his own account, and on Feb- 
ruary 14. 1914, he opened an establishment of his own. with an up-to- ' 
date and carefully selected stock of men's furnishing goods. Since his 
hrsr : he has met with the c j.ment Pomona affords to 

ent(. . _ .md progressive men. ai; ..: these attributes are com- 

bmcd with energy and strict integrity, success is an assured fact. 

'Ihe marriage of .Mr. Bowen united him with .Miss Win rfr.-il 
I nil. the ceremony occurring October 9. 1907. and one son has blessed 
their union. Jack. Fraternally .Mr. Bowen is a member of the Mason . 
and of Pomona Lodge No. 789. B. P. O. Elks, of which he is a past 
exalted ruler. Fond of outdoor life, as are most of Pomona's citi- 
zens, he takes his recreation in golf and other outdiwr sports. With 
his own business to look after, he is never too busy to aid in all public- 
spirited movements for the bf • of th; 
readily interested in projects wh rablv a 



600 111ST()R\' A\l) l',l( )r,RAriIY 

PROF. BENJAMIN S. HAUGH 

The best talent obtainable in tlic instructors it employs is e\er 
sought by La Verne College, and foremost among these are Prof. 
Benjamin S. Haugh and his talented wife, instructors in music and 
expression at that institution, who are accomplished musicians with a 
record for thorough mastery of their art and the ability to impart 
their knowledge to others. Professor Haugh was born at Lima, 
Allen County, Ohio, December 9, 1873. He is the son of Jacob and 
Mary (Miller) Haugh, natives of the Old Dominion, born in Rock- 
ingham County, Va. They were married in Allen County, Ohio, 
whither they had emigrated in their youth, and there Jacob Haugh 
engaged in farming and contracting and building, afterwards remov- 
ing to Johnson County, Mo., and still later to McPherson, Kans., 
where he resided until bis death on December 2, 1909; his widow 
sur\i\ed him and she still makes her home at McPherson. Mary 
Miller Haugh was \er)' musical, possessing a rare lyric soprano 
\'oice, so the son, Benjamin, naturally inherited a lo\"e and talent for 
music which found expression to such an extent that at the age of 
sixteen years he began teaching vocal music and directing classes, so 
when it came to his college course he majored in music as a matter 
of course. His early boyhood days were spent in Ohio, but at the 
age of ten years he accompanied his parents to Johnson County, Mo., 
where he finished his public school education, after which he spent 
one year at Mt. Morris College, Mt. Morris, Ogle County. 111. tie 
then entered McPherson College at McPherson, Kans., where he 
was graduated from the academic department as well as the school 
of music and expression and the department of stenography. During 
his college course he was assistant teacher in the \ocal department, 
directing the chorus classes as well as public audiences, which gave 
him an unusual and \aluable experience in that line of his profession. 

Professor Haugh's marriage, which took place on August 31. 
1904, at McPherson, Kans., united him with Miss Laura E. Harsh- 
barger, born in Huntingdon, Pa., a lady of culture and refinement; 
she also took the academic course and studied expression and sten- 
ography at McPherson College, graduating in these courses, making 
lier way by teaching stenography at the college. She then spent two 
years at North Manchester College (Lidiana), as head of the Depart- 
ment of Public Speaking. Mrs. Haugh's parents are also residents 
of La Verne. Her father, J. P. Harshbarger, was born in McAlevys 
Fort, Pa., and married Mary Van Dyke, who was born in McVey- 
town. Pa. He was a contractor and builder in Pennsylvania, Ne- 
braska and Kansas, and a pioneer homesteader in Scott County, Kans. 
As a young man he was ordained a minister in the Church of the 
Brethren and later an elder, and was active in pioneer missionary 
work, preaching gratis antl following contracting and farming for a 



,1 




.^' 



M' 






HIST* »m' WD i:i( )i,i< Ann uj.^ 

Ii\clihood. From Scott County he removed to Hutchinson. Kans., 
where he was superintendent of the Olii People's Home, a position he 
(illed ably tor a number of years; he then went to Mcl'herson, Kans.. 
where he resided until he and his wife came to La N'erne. Cal., where 
they now reside. At sixty-ti\c years of age, .Mr. Harshbarger is still 
actively employed at his trade. 

Both Professor and Mrs. Haugh took post-graduate courses 
and studied \ocal music with Prof. D. A. Clippinger of Chicago. 111.; 
additionally he took a course in harmony and ear training as well as a 
course at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. In I9(l4 they came 
to La \'erne College as teachers of music and expression. After 
remaining at the college for three years they returned to Chicago, 
where Professor Haugh taught piano and voice at the Bethanv Bible 
School and his wife, while teaching expression at Bethanv, studied 
three years at the Bible School and also finisheil her course at Co- 
lumbia College f)f Fxpression. While in Chicago they were members 
of the .XLndriga! Club, a musical organization which gave regular 
concerts in the Music Hall and at the Universitv of Chicago. In 
1911-1912 they became teachers at .McPherson College, their old 
Alma .Mater, where .Mr. Haugh was head of the \ocal ilepartment 
and Mrs. Haugh of the school of expression. In the fall of 191.^ 
they returned to La N'crnc College, where thev have since held their 
respective professorships. 

Mrs. Haugh received the degree of A. B. from La \'erne Col- 
lege, and preceiling this she took a course at the L'niversitv ot Southern 
California and is still continuing the study of \oice at that institution 
under Professor Cogswell, thus de\eIoping her beautiful Ivric soprano 
voice with which she has so (jften favored Pomona X'allev audiences 
and given so much thorough enjoyment and pleasure. She is a gifted 
woman of a charming and pleasing personality, being much lo\ed and 
esteemetl by her numerous students who have the good fortune to 
study under her as a teacher of expression. She also displays much 
talent as an artist, having taken a three years' course in painting, and 
her h(jme is beautifully decorated with paintings from her own brifsh. 

The summer of 1915 .Mr. and .Mrs. Haugh spent at Berkeley, 
taking special courses at the University of California. Both are 
inveterate workers and are never idle. Aside from his numerous 
duties Professor Haugh continues his study and research in music 
and has almost completed a course for the degree o( Bachelor of 
Music at the L niversity of Southern California. As an author he has 
composed several hymns and vocal sol(»s; among the latter is "Twi- 
light by the Sea," and all have met with a favorable reception. Pro- 
lessor and .Mrs. Haugh have a host of admirers, and at their beautiful 
home on r-f)urth and \i Streets they enjoy dispensing the good old-time 
hospitality to their many friends, who thoroughlv appreciate their 
comradeship ami cheer \v members of the Church of the Brethren 



604 HISTORY AND llloGRArHY 

they have for years been leaders of the chorus and congregational 
singuig, and Air. Haugh lurther has been selected as the musical 
director of the annual general conferences of the church held at Los 
Angeles, Des Moines, Iowa, and at Winona Lake, Ind. At the Los 
Angeles Conference, held at the Temple Baptist Auditorium in 1907, 
he was paid a glowing tribute by the late Robert J. Burdette for the 
masterful way in which he directed the \-ast assembly. 

Their faithful efforts to develop the technical proficiency of their 
pupils as well as to cultivate an appreciation of the aesthetic side of 
the art ha\'e borne rich fruitage, and there is no question that m devot- 
ing their lives to teaching music and expression. Professor Haugh 
and his accomplished wife are in their proper sphere. In their work 
at La Verne College they have successfully brought forth "Queen 
Esther" and "Joseph," dramatic cantatas, and given many other 
musical entertainments. Mrs. Haugh, in her career as a teacher in 
various places, has staged a number of difficult plays which have 
been successfully produced to large, appreciative audiences, repetitions 
being given by rec^uest. Among them are: In His Steps, Lost Para- 
dise, The Servant in the House, Price of the Prairie, and Rose O' 
Plymouthtown. During the recent war they were active in Y. M. C. A. 
work, visited Camp Kearny, sang at hospitals and used their talent 
in entertaining the soldier boys. 



ETHAN G. BANGLE 

A prominent real-estate operator of Pomona who has put through 
many impc^rtant deals of direct bearing on the future of both the city 
and the Valley, is Ethan Ci. Bangle, who is a native son, born near 
Rivera, in Los Angeles County, on September 26, 1884, the son of 
John and Mary (Buchanan) Bangle, natives of North Carolina and 
Tennessee, respectively. Mary (Buchanan) Bangle comes of promi- 
nent old American stock on her paternal side, being a second cousin 
of President James Buchanan; on the maternal side she is a descendant 
of the Monroe family and a third cousin of President James Monroe. 
Mr. and Mrs. Bangle crossed the plains to California in the stirring 
fifties. He settled at length near Rivera, and became one of the 
earliest walnut growers of Southern California, engaging in that line 
for many years. Mr. Bangle experimented with different varieties of 
walnuts, and in order to secure the best nuts obtainable he brought in 
walnuts from different countries, and so has the distinction of intro- 
ducing the soft-shell English walnuts in California, which has become 
the most popular and profitable variety grown here. In time he came 
to own the largest walnut orchard in the state, and his exhibit of wal- 
nuts at the Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1893 brought the first 
prize, so it is easily seen what a prominent part he took in forwarding 
the horticultural interests of the state. 



IllS'J't )kV AND l;i< U.RAl'IIV C05 

I'.thaii began with the ordinary school advantages at Rixera, ami 
topped ott his studies at the Southern California Business College in 
Los Angeles. I'hen he learned the trade of a hrick mason, and in 
partnership with his brother, James A. Bangle, followed brick, cement 
and concrete contracting in Los Angeles, Pasadena and Sierra Nhulre. 
Later, alone, he continued contracting until 1909, when he locatcil in 
Pomona, and entered on his career in real estate, lie has made a 
specialty of buying and selling alfalfa ranches in the Chino district 
of the \'allcy, and has also dealt largely in orange and lemon ranches. 
In 1912 Ira Neibel became his partner, which was continued until 
Mr. Xcibel's death in 1915, ami a year later he entered into a partner- 
ship with L. .M. Mills. Mr. Bangle has been very successful, and 
during his eleven years" experience he and his partners have a record 
second to none, and it is the consensus of opinion of those qualified 
to judge that he has sold more real estate than has any other lirm 
during the same period. 

On August 22, 1906, at Los Angeles, .Mr. Bangle was married 
to Gertrude Martin, a native of Illinois, who was educated in Whittier 
and Los Angeles. Three children have been born to them: Carl 
Orville. Harold K. and Wilma. Mr. Bangle is an active member of 
the Chamber of Commerce and belongs to the Knights of Pvthias of 
Pomona, in which order he is past chancellor commander, and there 
is no more welcome member in that flourishing order. 



THADDLLS SMART 

A man of virile character who has led an active life, full of 
interest and the vigorous prosecution of his chosen occupation, Thail- 
deus Smart was born in Marshall County, W. Va., January 20, 1840. 
He was raised there and received his education in the country schools 
of that state. In the spring of 186.S he removed to La Salle County, 
III., and bought a 160-acre farm, and the next thirty years of his life 
were devoted to the development of this acreage. He met with the 
success which comes to all men of his caliber, and became noted for 
his business-like and thorough methods of farming, and as a raiser 
of fine blooded stock, a prominent man in his district. 

Mr. Smart maintained a dairy in connection with his farm, ami 
helped build the cheese factory at Dana, III., ami was a stockholder 
and director of the company. His Shorthorn and Holstein dairy 
cows were of the best of their breed, and his Poland-China hogs were 
of fine blooded stock. He imported a pure-blood Belgian stallion, 
"Brilliant," which he exhibited at the Wcnona, III., I'nion Fair, and 
received secoml premium on sweepstakes over sixty head of horses; 
his brood marcs were of Norman stock, and he raised and sold many 
tine colts in his stables, which were noted throughout that part of the 
state. During his residence there Mr. Smart served as school trustee 



GOO HISTORY AM) innCRAl'HV 

and as superintendent of roails. When he sold his farm he moved 
to Storm Lake, Iowa, houi^ht 400 acres of hmd ami farmed it for 
two years, then decided to come to California and enjoy the remainder 
of his life in this balmy climate. He had made three previous winter 
trips to the state, anci after looking arcnuul, ilecided that Pomona was 
the ideal place for a home. 

In October, 1905, Mr. Smart settled in Pomona, and purchased 
a lot and erected a home at 263 East Fourth Street, where he lives 
retired from active cares and enjoying the fruits of his early industry. 
He has nc\er regretted his choice of Pomona for his home, and is 
a firm belie\er in even greater future jirosperity for this section of 
the state. 

[he marriage of Mr. Smart, in 1S62, united him with Isabelle 
Cox, a native of West Virginia, and two tlaughters were horn to them : 
Mrs. I. Kemp of Bloomington, 111., ami Nancy Smart, who keeps house 
for her father. The wife and mother passed on in January, 1917. 



JOSEPH A. FITCH 

An enterprising operator on a large scale in Pomona real estate, 
who has done much, through his unit]ue methods of ad\ertising, to 
make known to the outside world the ad\antages anil attractions of 
the homelike city antl flourlshmg \ alley, thereby not onlv showing his 
own faith in the future through m\'estment m land and other property, 
but inducing many othei"S to settle here and establish themsehes com- 
fortably, is Joseph A. Fitch, the well-known real estate agent. He was 
born in Ontario, Canada, the son of the Rew Heman and Amanda 
( Corlis) Pitch, both of whom are now deceased. 

Joseph A. Fitch was educated at the public schools of Canada, 
and during an active boyhood and youth laid an excellent foundation 
for later aggressiveness, ilespite the fact that he spent all of his time 
in his home town prior to coming to California. In the midille of the 
nineties he mo\ed west to Ri\-erside County, and there he li\ed for fi\'e 
years, getting acquainted with Californian ways. 

At the beginning of the century, he came to Pomona, assured of 
the superior openings here, and for a couple of years was connected 
with a large department store, having charge of one of the depart- 
ments. His farsightedness, howe\er, showed him the far greater field 
in California realty, and especially in lands with their steadily appre- 
ciating values around Pomona, and giving up general merchandising, he 
became a broker in I'eal estate. Since he launched his original cam- 
paign here, it may be truthfully said that no one has done more to 
advertise this favored region of the (jolden State. A \erv active sup- 
porter of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Fitch is also inlluential in 
the councils of the Republican party. 




\^J^^<.yA^ y-Y.Ow*r 



iiiST( )\<\ WD r,i( )C,i< \i'ii\ (,() I 

Mr. I itch mairltd Miss Chiirlottc A. Montrose of ()nt;iiio, 
Canada; aiul one ilaiij^htcr, Rosa J'., now dccc-ascil, ami one son. W. 
Warren I- itch, now a practicing ilentist in Pomona, lilesscil the union. 
Mr. Kitch helonfrs to the .Masonic order, holding nienihership in the 
lodj^e, chapter, council and commandery in I'oniona, and the Shrine ir) 
I. OS Angeles. 

I'hc success attained hy this wiiie-awake and tliorou)j;hlv |)ro}.;res- 
sivc representative of the best business spirit in I'ouKma is not surpris- 
ing, tor he has both ventiiretl and invested heavily hereabouts, and so 
has been able easily to inspire others with faith to "j^o and do likewise" 
— excellent advice whenever applicable to I'oniona and environs, 



sciiivi.i:r iiow.vrd i-ark 

I he steady growth I'omona has made attracts the attention of 
men ot aftairs who appreciate the fact that it is a rich and ample lieM 
tor the saj^acious use of money, brains and enerjry. in 1914 the 
wholesale ami retail flour anil i^:^:^.\ house of Park & Lichtv was estab- 
lisheil, and from its inception proved a success. On .August 15, 1919, 
Mr. Park purchased his partner's interest in the business and con- 
tinues alone, ant! is iloing a large business, which has been a v aluable 
aid in the tievelopment and upbuilding of Pomona. 

Schuyler Howard Park was born at Cranford, \. I., I'ebruary 
5, ISSO, and is of Knglish and Scf)tch extraction, lie is the son of 
Noel Robertson and lulith (\(M-wood) Park. The father, who con- 
ducted a grocery and coffee brokerage business in New York City, 
was a member of the National (iuanl of New York, and during the 
Civil War served in the I'wenty-second New York N'olunteer In- 
fantry, and was ranking captain when he retired after the close of the 
war. 

In a lannly oi lour boys and one girl, Scliuvler Howard is the 
lourth child. He received his education in the public anil high schools 
ot his home town and was a student at Princeton I'niversity for four 
vears. He afterwards became a salesman for the National Biscuit 
Companv, and during the four years that he vva> in their employ 
traveled to California in the interests of his firm. His (irst trip to 
Los Angeles was in 19(15. It was the old story again repeated. He 
became enraptured with the land that has caused so manv Easterners 
to forsake their former homes when once they have visited the land 
!>y the Western sea, with its vistas of distant mountains, its rich and 
luxuriant valleys, and its blue skies rivalling those of far-famed Italy. 
.Mr. Park purchased an orange grove north of Pomona, lived on it 
lour years, then disposed of it and in 1914 embarked in his present 
business. 

< )n julv 12, 1906, he was united in marriage with Miss I'li/abeth 
iJlakeman at Pomona. Two children have been born to them, Noel 



610 HIST()R^■ AXn r.J()GRAl'llV 

Robertson and Kulus Blakenian by name. In poHtics Mr. Park, tavors 
the Democratic party, but considers the character and qualifications 
of the candidate, supporting the man best fitted for the office, regard- 
less of party affiliations. In his religious convictions he is a Presby- 
terian. He is a incmlier of the Pomona Chamber of Commerce, and 
finds wholesome recreation in out-of-door lite. 



DR. FRANCIS HEMAN GEER 

A man who by his devotion to the upbuilding aiul development of 
Claremont has endeared himself to the citizens of the place is Dr. 
Francis Heman Geer, a physician and surgeon of high repute, well 
known in the \arious sections of the country in which he has resided. 
He is descended from good old New England stock and is a nati\'e of 
Conneautville, Pa., where he was horn December 18, 1848, the son of 
Heman and Lydia (Williams) Geer, nati\es respectively of Vermont 
and Connecticut. Heman Geer was educated at Oberlin College, being 
graduated from the Theological department and then ordained a 
minister in the Congregational Church. He preached in Ohio, Mich- 
igan, Kansas and Iowa, but most of the time was spent in Ohio, al- 
though he died in Iowa. His widow sur\i\ed him fourteen years, pass- 
ing away in Nebraska. During the Civil War Reverend Geer was a 
member of the Christian Comtiiission ami for a time stationed at 
City Point. 

In the family of six children born to this woithy couple, Doctor 
Cjecr is the thii-d in order of birth. Reared in Ohio, he recei\ed his 
education primarily in the public schools, then studied at Oberlin Col- 
lege, working his way through college. He had a talent for singing, 
and being endowed with a beautiful lyric tenor voice, he studied vocal 
music. During his college course he spent some time at 01I\'et College, 
Michigan, where he had charge of the Conserxatory of Music. Re- 
turning to Oberlin, he was graduated in 1871 with the degree of A.B. 
After taking up the study of medicine, his first year was at Wooster 
University, Ohio, and while there sang in the churches in Cleveland, 
which assisted him towards his degree, as well as teaching school at 
Chillicothe, Ohio, to make his way through the medical school. He 
completed his medical course at Ohio Medical College, Cincinnati, 
where he was graduated in 1 877 with the degree of M.D., a seif-maile 
man, haxing earnctl the money with which he secured his etlucation. 
He afterwartls took post-grailuate courses in Ciiicago and New York. 
After practicing his profession in Ohio, he removed to Columbus, 
Platte County, Nebr. There he practiced for some years and then 
located in Chicago and while there was assistant to Dr. F. H. Martin 
in the Post-Ciratluate Medical College for two years, when he again 
returned to Columbus, Nebr., anil resumed t'ne pl-actice of medicine 



nis'i"< >R^• AND i;i( )c,K.\i'ih (,ii 

aiul sLiiyciy, luiildiii^r up a very larjrc practice and liccoininj^ well ami 
favorably known. Tliis continual strain lor twcnty-onc years iiKule 
inroads on his health and the necessity lor change of climate caused 
him to come to Los Angeles. Cal., in 1904, and in 1905 he came to the 
Pomona \'alley. It was in 1907 that he located in Claremont. In time 
he became owner of four residences which he afterwards turneil o\ er 
to Claremont College. He was chairman of the board of city trustees 
for four years and as mayor gave the city a gootl atlministration. I le 
has been intensely interested in improsing the cemetery, it being a 
hobby of his, and as superintendent has seen to the impro\ements and 
care of it for nine years, until it has became a beautiful garden spot. 
Doctor Geer is also the city health officer. 

Doctor Geer's first marriage, in Ohio. .March 24. IS72. unitetl 
him with Miss Alice Howard, born at Rock Creek, Ashtabula County, 
Ohio, of whom he was berea\ ed in Claremont. Two children liad been 
born of the union : Ella, deceased, ami Howard, an electrical engineer 
in Columbus, \ebr. June 24. 1910, Doctor (ieer marrieil again, be- 
ing united with Mrs. .Mary blllis. a native of Vermont. In politics he 
is a Republican. Doctor Geer was made a Mason in Globe Lodge at 
Madison, Xebr. He is also a member of the Roval Arch Chapter, 
the Knight Templars, and a member of Tangier Temple, A. A. O. X. 
M. S. He feels a warm interest in the future of Pomona \'allev and 
its ad\ ancement in all lines and his efforts are unselfishly devoted to 
the general welfare of the community. A talented man. endoweil with 
a pleasing personality. Doctor Geer Is much enjoyed and highly es- 
teemeil by everyone and his example is well worthy of emulation. 



VWIV.V l-STI I.I.l- .S1>.\[.DIX(,, I'll.I). 

Marked success has attended the career of Phebe l-istelle Spald- 
ing. Ph.D., teacher, author, lecturer, and professor of j-jiglish litera- 
ture at Pomona College, Claremont, Cal., since 1 899. 

She was born at Westtield, \t., March 13, 1859. and is the 
daughter of the Rev. B. P. and Ann ( Folsom) Spalding. I ler father, 
a Methodist divine, was a leading light in his denomination in \'er- 
mont and Xew Hampshire, who spent his last years in Xorth Dakota. 

In a family of four children, all of whom are living, Phebe ]-".stelle 
Spalding is the third chikl in order of birth. She was educated in the 
district schools of Vermont and Xew I lampshire and took an academic 
course at Montpclier, .\t. She became in her early teens a teacher in 
the district schools of Xew Jlngland, afterwards teaching for a brief 
period in the public schools of Xorth Dakota. She was principal of 
:i school at Moorhead. .Minn., for two years, then entered Carleton 
College, in Minnesota, as a student, graduating from the literarv ile- 
partment of the institution in 1889 with the degree of H.L. From 



61.' IIIST( )\i\ AM) i;i( )C.lv AI'IIV 

Carlcton she came direct to I'omoiia Collcifc, at Clarcinoiit, Cal., 
where she became an instructor, anil was soon al tei-uarcis elected pro- 
fessor of Hntrhsh literature. She tra\eleil abroail in 1898-99, \is- 
iting Kn<rlancl and the Continent, and during this time obtained 
material lor a thesis on Wonlsworlh, in recognition of which in 1900 
the degree of M.I.. was conferreil upon her bv her alma mater. 
After se\eral more years spent in teaching, she attended Boston L'ni- 
\-ersit\' in 1909-10, recei\ing the degi'ce of Ph.D. from that institution, 
her work there being a distincti\-e thesis on the Jviglish Chronicle plays 
of Shakespeare, In the spi"ing ol 1914 she went to I'.ngland and was 
there at the bi-eaking out of the World War, remaining until October 
of that year, when she returned to her home. During these years, 
she iias been an occasional lecturer ant! a contributor to academic 
periodicals chiefly on interpretati\-e studies in literature and art. Her 
first book, "Womanhood in Art," was published in 1905. Among 
other later literary works from her i)en is the booklet poem, "The 
Master Came," published in 1906, and "The 'I'ahc]uitch .Maiden," 
published in 1911. 

Frofessoi" .Spalding Is a member of the Congregational Church, 
and in club affiliations is an honorary member of the Shakespeare Club, 
ami of the \A'oman's Club- of Pomona; and an actisc member of the 
Rembraniit Club, and the Cactus Club, Claremont. She is a member 
and ex-president of the Phi Beta Kappa (jamma chapter of California 
and IS a member of the Claremont chapter of the Daughters of the 
American Revolution. 

A woman of fine characteristics, genial manner and personal 
magnetism, she has used her rare mental eniltiwments in furthering 
the cause of etiucation antl foi- the good of the common weal and 
among her host of admii-ing fi-ienils her companionsliip is a pleasure 
ne\er to be forgotten. 



CLIXrOX BFRTRAM AFFLKRBAl'fiH 

Prominent in the civic, business and social life of Pomona, Clinton 
Bertram Afflerbaugh has been a resident of the city since a small lad 
of ele\-en years, and has both watched the citv grow and has been a 
part of its growth. Born in Clay County, Nebr., October 1 1, 1887, he 
is the son of Fhomas J. and Cai-rie AfHerbaugh, the father a pioneer 
of Nebraska, where he engagetl in ranching. Fhe family came to 
California in 1898 and the parents now reside i-n Claremont. 

Clinton Bertram .Afflerbaugh received his education in the public 
ami high schools of Pomona, and was one of the first class that entered 
the new high school. After graduating from that institution he took 
a course in pharmac\' at the L'nixersitv of Southern CalifcnMiia, finish- 



IIISTt )\i\ \.\l> I'.K )C.U M'lIN' '.|.^ 

ing in 19(16. He then cntcrcil tiic iniploy nt Mr. I.. I., .\rniiiur at 
I'oHKina for one year; then was with the Owl Drii^ C(iin|)any at I.os 
Angeles for a year and a half. 

After this preliminary business experience .Mr. AfHerhaugli 
openeil his new, nioilern liriig-store in Pomona, and the lir;n lias heen 
very successful from its first opening. Progressi\e in every sense oi the 
wonl, .Mr. Afflerhaugh has carriei.! that characteristic into his Inisiness 
life, anil iiis store ranks equal to the best in its line. Besides his Inisi- 
ness interests. .Mr. .\fflerbaugh takes an active part in tiie work of the 
Pomona Chamber of Commerce, was a director in 1916, aiul always 
a \\illing worker tor the ad\ ancement of community interests. I le 
also interests himself in ci\ic affairs, and was electeil, in .\]iril, 1919, 
alderman oi the tOurtii ward, to ser\e in the city council. Among his 
other work to bring Pomona to the fore in Southern California, he has 
taken an acti\e part in the Horal pageants, both here and ;it Pasaikna, 
designing ami decorating his own floats, ami his float took a prize at 
one of the Rose Carnivals at the latter cifv, and first prize in his home 
town of Pomona, in 1915,' and ag; ' 1 9. lUiring the Pageant 

of Progress. 

rile marriage of .Mi\ .Vftieriiaugh, which occurreij .September 19, 
19(17. on Pomona, united him with .Miss I'dni licli of Pomotv.i, ami 
they have been blesseil with one chiUI, Kennetli Jack. I- r.iternalK . 
Mr. Afflerhaugh is a member of the Pomona Lmige of I'.lks. ami was 
exalted ruler of the order in 1915. Always at'nietic and foml of out- 
door life and fishing, during his high-school ila\s he was well known 
in football circles and was chosen for the all-star team. In these busv 
days he still enjoys his outdoor recreation when possible, taking ati 
especial pleasure in plying the fisherman's rod. In political matters 
he is of the Republican party, and in church affairs the family attend 
the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

Pomona \'alley might almost be said to ha\ e more than its share 
of progressive, wide-awake men of this caliber, and to this fact is due 
the really remarkable growth evidenceil here within the last ten years. 



1. i:\vis \. s.Mini 

We tinii in writing the history of Pomona \'alle\, so many men 
and women who have come here to make their home, from all cjuarters 
of the globe, and from occupations totally different, eager to take up 
a branch of ilevelopment work as new to them as their surroandings, 
and to adapt themselves ami all work toward the common welfare: 
a remarkable illustration of what mankitui can accomplish w!un actu- 
ated by the best of human motives, the good of the many, .\mong 
these, we fiml Lewis N. Smith, a horticulturist in the Claremont 
section. Born in Wilmington, \'t., < )ctober Id, 1840, he is the son 
of Kuel and Lucinda ( Ailams) Smith, natives of Asht'oril, Conn., ami 



614 IIISTOKV .\.\1) r.l( )GRA1'I1V 

W'ilniington, \ t. His lather came to \ crmont when lour years of age 
and they were fanners at Wihnington ; the mother ha\ing passed away 
when Lewis N. was but four years old. 

Lewis N. Smith was edueatetl in the public schools of Vermont 
and Townsend Academy, and left home at the age of nineteen to 
engage in clerking in a store, lirst in Wilmington, and then Chicopee 
and Springfieltl, Mass., and later went to J roy, N. Y. In the latter 
place he went into business for himself and remained there for eight 
years. From there he went to Worcester, Mass., and finally, in the 
fall of 1898, came west, first locating on a ranch one mile west of 
Claremont. In 1900 he came into Claremont, ant,! has since that time 
been engaged in the citrus industry heix'. He now has an orange 
gro\e west of town. 

The marriage of Mr. Smith, on March 14, 1866, united him with 
Miss Elizabeth W' ardwood, born in Worcester, Mass. After ;i wedded 
life of fifty-three years, he was bereaved of his faithful wife, July 18, 
1919. They were the parents of one son, William L., a ci\il engineer 
by profession. Mr. Smith is a member of the Congregational Church, 
and has held \arious offices in the church body, being treasurer when 
the edifice was erected. Tratcrnally, he was made a Mason in Chic- 
opee Lodge, in Massachusetts, in 1861, and now is a member of Clare- 
mont Lodge No. 434, I'\ & A. M. In civic affairs he has been a mem- 
ber of the Claremont board of trustees, and was the first president 
of the board when the city was first organized. A man of ci\ic pride 
and progressi\e views, he has been active in the advancement of Clare- 
mont and vicinity, and is respected and esteemed in this section where 
he makes his home. 



MARK H. POTTI-R 

A man of \igorous acti\Ities, who knows how to persevere and 
to give his courage, his strong will and unusual energy to the accom- 
plishment of whatever interests him, to whatever he plans to do, Mark 
H. Potter is a fine example in that phase of his sturdy character. His 
breadth of interests, wise counsel and efficient execution have greatly 
aided in the upbuilding of Pomona and the surrounding fertile Valley, 
and his patriotic labors tor the welfare of the community as a whole 
and the development of its natural resources arc worthy of praise 
and emulation. 

Mr. Potter is a natl\e of Minnesota, born in Lancsboro, Fillmore 
County, October 15, 1878. When a youth of sixteen, in 1894, he 
came to Pomona, but later returneil F'ast to finish his education, which 
had been under way there. On his return to Pomona, he interested 
himself in real estate, and he bought, developed and sold a number 
of orange groves in the Valley, at the same time carrying on a general 
life and fire insurance business. 



IIIST'JkV WD i;i( )GRAi'llV iA5 

Mr. Totter put upon the market lour of the leading suluiiN isioiis : 
Alvarado Court, the Kenoak. Dri\ e Tract, the Lincohi Park Tract and 
the Antonio Heights Iract, in all of which some of the finest resiliences 
in Tomona have been erected; and he was instrumental in the erection 
of the three leading business buildings in the city, and the only ones 
with elevators installed. He organized the company for the Tomona 
\'alley Hospital and superintended the construction of the build- 
ing, together with the architects, Davis & Higgs, and he secured the 
bonus which assured the construction of Hotel Avis. In 1910 Mr. 
Totter was instrumental in building the Tomona Investment Company 
Building at the corner of Thomas and I'hird streets, and also handled 
the old Congregational Church corner, and in doing this he headed 
the syndicate which bought the church property, moved away the 
building and erected the present improvements in its place. His keen 
foresight enabling him to see far into the future and to properly 
appraise the present, Mr. Totter has proved a most important factor 
in bringing Tomona to its present place of importance in the state, and 
that in a remarkably short time, as the growth of cities is reckoned. 
To such men as he should be given due credit for the real and lasting 
things accomplished during their allotment of time. 

The marriage of Mr. Totter, which occurred December 20, 1 904, 
united him with Minnie L. Teck, and one daughter, Madeleine, has 
been born to them. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masons and 
the I'.lks ()1 Tomnnn. 



UL INCY A. BILLA 

I he ideal conditions surrounding Tomona, educationally and 
socially, as well as the climate and physical attractions, have brought 
to the N'alley many who have searched the state through for their 
homesite and future dwelling-place. 'Iheir acti\e and successful busi- 
ness operations in Kastern states ha\e enabled them to enjoy the re- 
mainder <)f their lives in hospitable California, and here they reap the 
fruits of their years of industry. Among these (Juincy A. Bulla is 
prominent in local affairs in the \'alley. Bf)rn in South Bend. St. 
Joseph County, Ind., September 21, 1848, he was raised on a farm 
and recei\eil his education in the country schools of that locality, ami 
spent two years at Notre Dame Tniversity. In 1868 he removed to 
Iowa, and settled near Des Moines, where he engaged in farming. 
In 1886 he came further west, to Nance County, Nebr.. and there 
(armed three-fourths of a section of land until 190.1, which year marks 
his arri\al in Tomona. 

Far-sighted and with keen business acumen. .Mr. Bulla at once 
saw the wtuulerful opoprtunities here in the Valley, and his h.yalty 
to this section has never wavered since lirst taking up his residence 
Iktc. While living quietly and enjoying the peace and beautv of his 



C.16 I11ST( )\<\ AXD I'.loCRArin' 

suiTounilini>;s, he has intci-fstccl himself in business affairs as well, anil 
is a direetor and one ot the or^ani/ers of the Home Builders Loan 
Association of Pomona, and is also a stockholder in the I'omona 
Manufacuring Company. 

The marriage of Mr. Bulla iniitetl hlni with .Miss Lorind A. 
Ritter, a nati\-e of Indiana, December 15, 1868. They were the 
parents of six children, all deceased. They attend the Unitarian 
Church, and enioy the esteem and friendship of all who come in contact 
with them in their many years of life in the Valley. It is such citizens 
as these who ha\e helped to bring Pomona to its present place in 
the sLHi. 



JOSEPH (). LUSSIER 

A business man not only keeping pace with, but leading the spirit 
of commercial enterprise in San Dimas is Joseph (). Lussier, pro- 
prietor of the Groceritorium on Bonita Avenue in that town. The 
won! (jroceritoriimi \\as originated and coined by himself. He was 
born in Woonsocket, J^. I., on July 31 of the year celebrated as the 
rounding out of our first century of independence. His father,' Francis 
Lussier, was horn in Bordeaux, France, and came to Woonsocket, 
R. L, when a young man. There he married Miss Lulu Pippin, who 
was born in Quebec of an old P'rench-CanaiHan family. He was 
engagetl in the bakery business in Woonsocket until his death in 1884, 
when Joseph was eight years of age. Soon after this the mother 
migrated with her family of four small children to St. Paul, Minn., 
and here Joseph received his education in the public schools. 

In 1896 Mr. Lussier came to California, and after \isiting a 
number of places in the state, located in San Dimas the same year; 
iiere his first work was the agency and deli\ery of the Los Angeles 
Times, the San Francisco Excini'nicr and (Jliroiiirle. He covered his 
route of thirty-three miles on a bicycle and took in the district of San 
Dimas, La \'erne and Charter Oak. Later he completed a course in 
the Ri\ersitle Business College and after graduating he entered into 
partnership with J. O. Enell and bought out the Toi-rey Cirocery store 
at Lordsbnrg, now La Verne. Purchasing the interest of his paitner, 
he conducted this for a while alone; but at the end of six years he sold 
out his business to W. 11. Poston & Company, who conducted a chain 
of grocery stores in Pomona Valley. After selling out he was manager 
for Mr. Poston for two years at La Verne and a year in his San 
Dimas store. He then went to Los Angeles and entered the employ 
()f the Los Angeles (ias and Electric Company as a solicitor. 

Returning to San Dimas in 1010, Mr. Lussier bought out the 
grocery store of J. E. Schneider, with Walter Hoist as a partner, and 
together they conducted business under the firm name of Lussier & 
Ho'st. In two years' time he bought out his partner and the firm was 



IIIST( )\<\ AND r.K »C.K AI'IIN ..I't 

ii:ssol\ cti, ;iiui Mr. I. ussier has since been conductinj^ the Inisiness 
alone. In January. 19 IS, he cstablisheil the Groceritoriuni — a new- 
system very popular with the buying public, where the customer helps 
himself ami pays as he goes out. On acccnmt ot the popularit\ en- 
joyed by the new method, .Mr. Lussier has been alile to buikl up a 
large ami flourishing trade. In return, he has grown very lo\al to 
Pomona \ alley, ami one always to be countcil upon for supporting 
every sensible movement making for the progress of the whole com- 
munity. 

In August. 190o. at Riverside, Mr. Lussier was married to .Miss 
Lulu Gtiodwin, a native of Illinois, the daughter of Dr. J. W. ( iooil- 
win, a pioneer physician of Fomona. Of the live children born to 
Mr. and .Mrs. Lussier, Joseph is the eKiest anil is a stutlent at Pomona 
College; and there are Warren, Jack and Raymond. One son, Charles, 
is deceaseil. Mr. Lussier belongs to San Dimas Lotlge No. 114, 
I. O. O. I-., and in politics is a Republican. Mrs. Lussier is a member 
of the Wednestlav .\fternoon Club ami in religious matters is an ai.1- 
herent of the Christian Church. 



KIRK W. rilOMP.SON 

A public-spirited, progressiv e native son who is particularly well 
posted on the past history and growth of Spadra ami vicinity, anil is 
therefore often consulted as to fact or future prospects thereabouts, is 
Kirk \V. Thompson, who was born in that town on September S, 1 877, 
the son of Joseph W. I hompson, a native of hiiliana, who married 
Sarah Jane Justice, like himself a I loosier, anil with him now deceaseil. 
In 1852, when he was eight years of age, he crossed the great plains 
with his parents, and locateil at LI Monte, in Los Angeles County, 
where he was reared and educated, growing up on a I arm. As a young 
man he followed farming ami teaming, and later he came with a 
brother, j'lbridge R. Thompson, to A/.usa, in 1885, and there engageil 
in farming. 

From his sixth to his nineteenth year, therefore. Kirk Ihompson 
was reared in A/.usa, attending the A/.usa schools atul working in the 
orange groves. Now, for a number of years he has been in the employ 
of the Phillips famiK on the Louis Phillips ranch at Spaiira, and he 
has seen many changes in the N'alley. Looking backward, he has the 
supreme satisfaction of realizing that he, for one. has been instru- 
itiental in bringing some of the changes about. 

Popular in social circles, Mr. Thompson is nowhere a greater 
favorite than with the Knights of Pythias, being a member of the 
Pomona Lodge, where he has passed through all the chairs; he also be- 
longs to the Iraternal Aid. He is public spirited and has done 
his bit during the period of the recent crisis and distress in the L'nited 
States, and in relation to the Cireat War. 



r>:0 HISTORY AXl) i;i()GK.\rilV 

WILLIAM L T. HOOVER, PH.D. 

I'romiiietit among the faculty of La \'erne College, Cal., of 
whicli institution he is Dean and occupies the chair of philosophy, is 
Prof. W. I. 1 . Hoo\er, well known in college and educational circles. 

He was born at Da\ton, Ohio, March 8, 1869. The foiiiiilation 
for his future education was laid in the country schools adjacent. His 
academy and college education was acquired at Mount Morris (Illi- 
nois) College; Wittenberg College, Springfield, Ohio; DePauw Uni- 
versity, Cireencastle, Iiid., from which he receivetl the degree of 
Bachelor of Philosophy in 1894, and subsequently the degree of 
Master of Arts pro nicriln; and later the degree of Doctor of Philoso- 
phy from Central University. 

He taught philosophy in .Manchester College, Indiana; Bridge- 
water College, ^'irginia, anil Blue Ridge College, Maryland; at the 
last institution he liad the honor of remaining when the trustees de- 
cided to enlarge the institution and secured a new charter froni the 
state legislature in January, 1910. He was \ery active in the de- 
velopment and ad\ancement of this college in xarious ways, one of 
which was the securing from the state legislature of a perpetual annual 
apportionment of $5,000. The college has received other Important 
favors from the state of Maryland. Professor Hoover was solicited 
for the presidency of this and three other institutions of like character, 
which he thankfully declined, and was asked by the trustees of Blue 
Ridge College thrice to return aiul accept a professorship in it. 

Ha\'ing been ofteretl a professorship in La \'erne College, he 
resigned his position in the East and arrived in California September .3, 
1912. He is active In the Church of the Brethren, being one of Its 
ministers, supplying the pulpit on various occasions, and Is a lecturer 
of note in the conventions of his church and Is frequently called to 
deliver special addresses in the \arIous churches of his denomination 
and occasionally In other denominations. He Is also active In Sundav 
school work, teaching an active, growing Men's Bible class; served two 
years as first vice-president of the Los Angeles County Sunday School 
Association, anil Is still a member of the executive committee of the 
State Sunday School Association; he is also active in local and countv 
\. M. C. A. work. During the period of the war he visited Camp 
Kearny at various times, giving addresses and taking college students 
down who gave entertainment for the soldiers. 

His marriage united him with Miss Carrie M. Yundt of Illinois, 
and they have become the parents of two sons and two daughters: 
LeRoy Y., who is a B.A. graduate of La Verne College, and Roscoe 
M., the two being In partnership in the poultry and fruit business at 
950 East Franklin Avenue, Pomona. Roscoe M. served eighteen 
months as a volunteer (being only eighteen years old at the time of his 



IllSTokV AND UK )C.R. M'ln' i<2} 

enlistment December 1, 1917, at Camp Kearny) in the I'niteil States 
Army. Mis enlistment was in the Signal Corps, heintj; rapiillv m.\- 
vanceil to a (irst-class sergeant. He was later sent to France, antl just 
as he was being sent to the battle front the armistice was signetl. Be- 
fore entering the army he had for two years been manager of the 
I'lvergreen I'igeon Lofts at La \'ernc, which lofts contained ."^.O!)!) 
pigeons of both utility and fancy breeiis. He is a member ol the Los 
Angeles Tumbler Club of fancy pigeons. I le has also ser\ ed, w bile 
stationed at Camp Kearny, as pigeon judge in their annual summer 
exhibition. \'era, the youngest, is a college freshman this year in La 
^'erne College. Last year she won the freshman scholarship offered 
by the trustees to the one meeting a very high standard of scholarship 
in the graduating class of the academy. The other daughter dieil at 
the age of nine and one-half years. 

In his scholastic attainments, genial disposition, strong and per- 
suasive as a public speaker, noble in character, progressive in all his 
activities. Doctor Lloover is making a strong impression upon the 
growth and development of La \'erne College. 



WILLIAM 1'. rrxKiTorsi'.R 

The popular constable of San Dimas, William L. I-"unkhouser, 
was born in Champaign County, 111., January 1. 1872. He was edu- 
cated in the public schools, and at the age of eighteen, in 1 890, went to 
North Platte, Lincoln County. Nebr., and engaged in ranching with 
his father. He also conducted a garage at one time, and was employed 
by Uncle Sam as mail carrier on one of the rural routes. Politics was 
also among the things that engaged his time and attention, and he was 
at one time road overseer, and deputy assessor, and in 1910 took the 
census for the United States Government. 

He came to San Dimas in the fall of 1912 and entered the em- 
ploy of the R. ^L Teague Nursery Company. He was also night 
watchman at San Dimas, and September 1, 1917. was appointed con- 
stable. He is nowunder civil service appointment. Among various 
occupations at which he has been employed, he ran a tractor, working 
among the orange groxes of the district. At present, besides filling the 
position of constable, he is again one of the trusted employees of the 
R. M. Teague Nursery Companv. 

Llis marriage united him with Miss Lillie Stone, a native of 
Indiana, and they are the parents of ten children. Clarence W., who 
is with the Stewart Fruit Company: I'lvclyn is Mrs. Thomas Boddy of 
San Dimas; Cirace, Glenn, Nellie, Doris, Ruth, Marie, F'ern and Jack. 
Fraternally he is associated with the Modern Woodmen. He has 
made a very efficient officer and is a respecteil citizen of his comnuin- 
itv. cniovine the high esteem of a host of friends and acquaintances. 



622 1IIST( )R^ AXn I'.K )C.RAI'IIV 

WILLIAM S. i'RCANBKACK 

A descendant of sturdy I lolland forefathers, William S. l'>rcan- 
brack was horn in Johnstown, Montgomery County, N. \ ., July 11, 
1827. He followeil the sea as a young man for two years; then, on 
March 15, 1859, went to McHenry County, 111., and for many years 
was prominent in ci\ic affairs there; ser\ed as road commissioner for 
twcKe years, antl as a sciiool tlirector the same length of tmie; he was 
also sherift of iMcIlenry County for se\'eral years anti during his entire 
resilience there was active in politics. 

In 1887 Mr. i'.rcanhrack remoxed to Sheldon, lona, and farmed 
there loi" ti\e \'ears. In the spring ot 1 89,'? he came to Pomona: here 
he bought his orange gro\ e and engageil in the citrus development 
work so pre\alent in the N'alley at that time, his grove having just been 
planted, and he brought it to a state of productiveness anil ilevoted his 
time to its dexelopment, and since his death, ^\Ligust 19, 1904, this 
\\c)rk ot improvement has been continued and the ranch kept in splen- 
diil condition b\' his widow. .Mr. I'.rcanhrack had been a .Mason of 
long standing, ha\ing joined the order in Hebron, 111. 

He was twice marrieil, anil bv the first union was the fathei- of ti\-e 
children; Charles, ot Santa Barbara; Mrs. J. \'. Aldrich, of Rich- 
mond, 111.; William, ot I'dburti, 111.; Mrs. William Cole, of Jennings, 
La., and (ieorge, of Los Angeles. Mr. lircanbrack's second marriage 
united him with Maflhla I'resmer, a native of Wisconsin, and she has 
carried on the horticultural work startcil In her husband in a most 
efHcient and capable manner, the grove, on l'!ast Kingslev .Vvenue, a 
finely improved property, showing the care which has brought it to its 
present thri\'ing condition. 



LKAXCIS CLARK l-LLLS 

A man of increasingly important aftairs, who has found time 
in ;i life of exceptional activity to devote some of his best energies 
for the benefit ot others, and who therefore mav reasonablv claim 
to have made his career one ot double truittulness, is i'rancis Clark 
Eells, the well-known grower ot citrus fruits and alfalfa, and a 
director in the Mountain \ lew 1' ruit .Association. 1 le was born at 
N'irginia City, Nev., on January 2d, 1879, and is the son of (ieorge 
Nelson Lells, horn at Delhi, N. Y., who came to California around 
Cape LTorn in 1852. He engaged m mining in this state and in 
Ne\-ada ; and in \'irginia City, in 186.^, married Miss Mary Clark, 
who had reached California in the early fifties. Both father anil 
mother became prominent in the musical circles of \'irginia City and 
had much to do with the ilevelopment of that live municipality. In 
1884 George F.ells came to Pomona, his family joining him in 1887. 
The parents are now both deceased. 



IIISTORV \\\) 1!I<)C,U.\I'I1V (,2.\ 

Francis Clark J'iclls u.is i.iiiii.atcd, therefore, in the public scliools 
of I'omona ami ^rew up in the lieUls of aj^riculturc, water tle\ elopment 
and bankin;^. .At the a^e of eijjhteen he entereii the einplos of the 
Consoliciateii Water Company, and when twenty-two he was niade a 
director ami office nianayer of the company, a position he tilled aiily 
anil well for about one year, when he was elected cashier <>( the 
Savings Bank and Irust Company of Homona. After fi\e years he 
sold his interest in the bank and became an investment broker, bein;^ 
a partner in the lirm of Bradley & l.ells. In twelve years this Hrm 
has solil more than S9, 000, 000 of I'omona \ alley prf)perty, and he 
has thus been instrumental in the a)j;ricultural dexelopment of the 
\'alley as well as in the improvement of residential subiliv isions ami 
the advancement of realty values. He has taken a very active interest 
in civic aftairs, including the preparing of the present city charter, 
has participated in the different war activities and assisteil in the 
erection of the splendid Congregational Church editicc and the new 
V. .\l. C. A. building. 

A stanch Republican of very broad, non-partisan views as to local 
matters, Mr. I!ells has always worked for good government and an 
enlightened, free America for progressive Americans. This energetic 
endeavor in behalf of social and political uplift is rather natural, con- 
sidering that the I!ells family dates back to the seventeenth century, 
when certain forbears settled in the central part of New York state. 
George Nelson Eells came to California by way of Cape Horn, and 
had a very eventful voyage, for smallpox raged on the ship, and he 
was one of the volunteer nurses to help care for the stricken. The 
Clark family, that of the mother, dates from the second trip of the 
Mayflower, and they are known in history as influential in the de- 
velopment of New I'ngland colonial life, the mother having been born 
nn.l educated in Boston. 

At Pomona, on March 6, 1907, Mr. Kells was married to Miss 
hthel May Howard, who was born in Pomona, and grew up and was 
educated here, and is active in all things pertaining to the best welfare 
(tf the city. Two children have blessed this union: Howard Clark 
Eells and Edith Frances Eells. 

A Sunday school teacher in the Pilgrim Congregational Church of 
Pomona for the past nineteen years, Mr. I.clls has been in charge for 
twelve years of the important boys' work known as the Boys' Brigade, 
and to him is due the chief credit for the brigade's remarkable success. 
In this important post he has prf)ven a wonderfully efficient officer, 
but his work has not stopped there, for he has made every member of 
the brigaile his personal friend, and in such an exceptional relationship 
has sought to promote the highest welfare of the members. 

.10 



6:4 llISTokV AXl) lUOCRAl'lh' 

FRAXK fi,etchi:k palmi:r 

Thanks to the exceptional number of "moving spirits" in Clarc- 
inont — for some persons not only ha\e the initiative to move them- 
selves, but are also most eftective in inducing others to follow where 
they lead — this beautiful interior town has developed in recent years 
at a far more rapid rate, and on broader, safer lines than most new- 
cities of the West; and prominent among her citizens noted for both 
aggression and progression, is Prof. Frank Fletcher Palmer, the pro- 
ficient principal through whom the Claremont high school has been 
raised to a high state of efficiency. He was born at Ainsworth, Wash- 
ingtcMi County, Iowa, on Septembei- IS, 188n, and ins parents were 
Abraham L. and Nancy ( Potts) Palmer. His father was a minister in 
the United Brethren in Christ, and passed to his eternal reward, leav- 
ing an en\'iable record for harti, unselhsh toil to retiecm his fellow- 
men. Mrs. Palmer is still li\ing, the mother of six children, among 
whom Frank was the youngest child. He began his education in his 
home town; but when he accompanied his folks to California in 1892, 
he entered and graduated from the preparatory department of Pomona 
College, in 1903, and from Pomona College in 19(J8, when he re- 
ceived the degree of A.B. 

Taking up teaching as a profession, Mr. Palmer became principal 
at San Dimas, but after a year, mo\-ed to Claremont, and here he has 
worked to develop the high school since 191)9, although actual organi- 
zation did not take place until 1910. Since that time he has been its 
principal. To him in particular is much of the credit due for a new 
high school building; and the present structure, of which the citizens 
are so proud, was erected in 191 1, at a cost of approximately $65,000. 
About 125 pupils are enrolled; while the commodious structure, such 
an architectural ornament to the town, is large enough to accommodate 
double that number. All its provisions evidence the trained mind of 
Professor Palmer and those associated in carrving out this great trust 
for the present and future generations. 

At Upland, on March 27, 1909, Mr. Palmrr was married to AFiss 
Grace Greenleaf, a native of Indiana, and the daiighter of C. A. 
Greenleaf. She is an accomplished lady, also attracti\e for her intel- 
lectual gifts, and was before her marriage a teacher of public school 
drawing. I'our children have blessed this fortunate union — Nancy be- 
ing the eldest, Fletcher the next, Allan the third, and Flizabeth the 
youngest. The family are members of the Congregational Church. 
Professor Palmer is a Republican, but he is too large-minded to be 
limited to any one party creed, and takes pleasure in casting aside all 
narrow partisanship in local affairs and working only for the good of 
the community in which he moves and thrives. Quite safely may one 
make the |)rediction that the educator, I''rank Fletcher Palmer, will vet 
be heard 1 roni in larger and still more influential fields. 



iiisT( )R^■ AM) i;i( H■.R.\^ll^ 



HARRY II. IIINMW 



Amiing l^omona's wide-awake and successtui Imsiness iiu-ii is the 
manager of the tirm of 1-.. llinman & Son, Harry H. llinnian. Mr. 
Hintnan was horn at Camhriilge, Henry Count), III., \o\eniher 9, 
1886, and is the son of l^lliot and Nora (Nolan) Ilinnian. His 
parents came to California in 1891, anil of their three children I larry 
H. is the youngest. He recei\ed a liheral education in the puhlic and 
high schools ot Pomona, then entereil business with his father at I'o- 
mona. The father died No\cmher 7, 1917, and the son continucil 
to conduct the business, which is prospering under his administration, 
and he has eight people in his employ. 

The lady he chose \oy his wife ami to whom he was united 
No\ember 25, 1916. was Miss Lucy Barry before her marriage. 

Politically, Mr. Hinman supports the principles of the Republi- 
can party, and in his traternal associations he is a member of the 
B. P. O. Elks and of the Knights of Pythias, and is a member of the 
Chamber of Commerce. 

While devoted to his business interests, Mr. Hinman still has time 
to enjoy the out-ol-door life of which he is fond, and which the climatic 
conditions of California make so enticing at all seasons of the year. 
He is deeply interesteil in the progress and development of Pomona 
A'allcv and is ever rcadv to lend his influence to further its interests. 



ARTHUR Dl RWARD, A. M. 

Scotland has long since claimed the honors of birth of numerous 
men and women distinguished in foreign lands, and especially in the 
Held of education has she been well represented by those who, having 
first seen the light of day under her bonnic skies, have gone forth to 
wrestle with some of the most serious problems of life, and to assist 
in the progress of the world to broader, higher and better things. 
Among such educators who look hack with pride to the laml of Scotr 
and Burns, and forward with anticipation to the new Republic of 
Longfellow. I'merson and Horace Mann, is Arthur Durward, A.M.. 
the scholarly principal of the Bonita Union High School at La \'ernL-. 
He was born near Aberdeen on December 2}, 1870, and when 
one year old was brought to the United States, where he was reared 
on a farm near Boulder, Colo. For a while he attended the public 
schools of his locality, and when old enough went to the State L ni- 
\crsity at Boulder, from which well-known institution he was grad- 
uated with the Class of '93, with the degree of B. S. He next attended 
Harxard Uni\crsity at Cambriilge, Mass., where he took a course 
in science and engineering, and still later he did some graduate work 
there, and was assistant instructor in physics in the same unixersitv, 
receiving his Master of Arts degree in 1897. 



(jj. 11IS■1'UR^■ A.\l) IlloGRAi'lIV 

The same year he arrived in California and for a year taught 
at St. Matthew's Bovs' School at Burlingame, a military academy, 
after which he taut^ht for four years in the Hanford High School. 
Coming to Pomona in 1902. Mr. Durward was vice-principal of the 
Pomona High School for another four years. In 1907, luckilv for 
the Bonita Union High School, he became its principal, and this posi- 
tion of responsibility Mr. Durward has tilled to the satisfaction of 
the community e\'er since. He has not only been placed at the head, 
but he has been a large factor in the school's dex'elopment. A number 
of ne\\- and important courses of study ha\e been added, and these 
include manual training, domestic science, agriculture and music. 

Air. Durward served for four years as city trustee for La Verne, 
and during that time, for two years, he was president of the board. 
The bond issue was then carried, and a municipal water system was 
pro\ided. Good roads were then built, and many streets were pa\ed. 
Besides being a member of the Boanl of Trustees, Mr. DurA^ard has 
been active in the First Methodist Church, and as an educator, a 
man and a fellow-citizen, he has shown his intense interest in and 
loyalty to Pomona Valley. 

Mr. Durward has also embarked in orange culture and now 
owns two groves; one, of ten acres, lies to the south of the Pacific 
Electric Station; the other, of seven acres, is near the Bonita High 
School. Associated with others, he has developed water by sinking 
wells and put in pumping plants, t roin which they irrigate their 
ranches. 

While at Pomona, on November 30, 1899, Arthur Durward 
was married to Miss Clara Pitzer, a native of Iowa and the daughter 
of S. C. and Alice Pitzer, pioneers of Pomona. Three daughters 
have blessed this union, antl they bear the names of Ruth, Lois and 
Alice. Mr. Durward is a member of the American Association for 
the Ad\^ancement of Science, also the Council of Education of the 
southern section of the California Teachers Association. 



VINCENT W. BAKER, D.D.S. 

Among the successful orchardists of Pomona Valley, Vincent W. 
Baker, D.D.S., deserves mention. He is a native of New Jersey, 
where he was born at Boundbrook, July 4, 1866, and is the son of 
Abraham and Mary J. (Blauvelt) Baker. The father was a capitalist 
of New York City, and in a family of se\en children Vincent was the 
youngest. He completed his education in the high school at 
Asbury Park, and attended the New York College of Dentistry, grad- 
uating from that institution with the class of 1888. He practiced his 
profession in Plainfield, New Jersey, for fifteen years, came to Cali- 
fornia in 1901 and located on a ranch at La Verne. Since then he 




as 




C 

^ 



^i 



HISTORY AM) I'.lor.k Al'll^■ (>2') 

has devoted liis entire attention to citrus culture, abandoninjj; the prac- 
tice o( dentistry. He liad charj^e of se\enty acres, ani.1 now lias litty- 
eif^ht acres umler his supervision. However, he makes his home at 
1269 Harvard Avenue, Clarcniont. 

His marriage with Miss Bessie Hull was solemnized September 
26, 1893. In his religious convictions Mr. Baker is a member of The 
First Church of Christ, Scientist, of Boston, Mass. Politically he docs 
not adhere to any party. He is broad-minded and liberal in his views, 
and active in the management ot his business interests, ol which he has 
made a pronounced success. 



1 RANK .\. HICKMAN 

An enthusiastic advocate of ami an authority on good roads is 
Frank A. Hickman, the well-known citrus grower of San Dimas. 
who for twelve years was street superintendent of Roail District 
No. 112, formerly known as the old San Jose road district. He was 
born at I-airmount, \'ermilion County, 111., on January 9, 1868, the 
son of H. H. Hickman, who married Miss Ivy Snytler, ami who was 
active as a farmer in the Prairie State until the outbreak of the Civil 
War, when he enlisted in the Twenty-fifth Illinois Regiment and 
served throughout the great conHict, in which he was severely 
wounded. In the fall of 1868 they removed to Kansas and located 
on a homestead in Anderson County on the frontier, where roamed 
Indians as well as countless antelope ami buffalo, and there they 
resided until their death. The parents had fi\e children, all of them 
still living, the youngest brother still residing on the old home farm. 

Frank A., who was second in the order of birth, was taken to 
Kansas at the age of eight months, and there was educated in the 
public schools. He assisted his father on the home farm until he was 
of age and then followetl farm work and cattle feeding, principally 
for J. M. Broady. After seven years in his service .Mr. Hickman 
moved to the vicinity of Cripple Creek, Colo., and there, also for 
seven years, he was employed at lumbering ami logging. Desirous 
of getting a Jirst-hand view of California, he came out to the coast 
in 1902, purchasing a three-year-old N'alencia orange grove of ten 
acres in Los Angeles Coimtv, which he cared for and improveil until 
he sold it in 1906 for $l,(lliO an acre, and then returned to Colorado. 

Ill 1909, however, haunted by alluring memories of the (jolilen 
State. Mr. Hickman caine back and bought his present orange grove 
near San Dimas, for which he paii.1 .$15,000. There are twelve acres 
in the tract, devoted to oranges ami grape fruit. He has maiie many 
improvements on the place and built a tine large residence, so that 
it is now one of the most attractive places in the \'alley, and reflects 
the painstaking, intelligent labor that has been expemlcii upon it. A 



630 lllSTOin' WD r.K K'.KAl'llV 

self-made man in e\ery sense ot the word, has entered enthusiastieally 
hito the life of the community, and is a director in the New Deal 
Land and Water Company and a member of the San Dimas Orange 
Growers Association aiid the San Dimas Lemon (Growers Association. 

On March 5, 1901, Mr. Hickman was married at Colorado 
Springs to Miss Minnie E. Allen, horn at Cedarville, N. J., the 
daughter of William P. and Hannah A. (Conklin) Allen, natives of 
New York state. Her father served in the Third New Jersey Cavalry 
Regiment in the Civil War. He was a contractor in Bridgeton, N. J., 
until he removed to Manitou, Colo., and there he engaged in the same 
line of work. Both he and Mrs. Allen are deceased. Mrs. Hickman 
was seventeen years of age when the family took up their home in 
Colorado and she completed her education in the schools at Manitou. 
On the Allen side she is a lineal descendant of Ethan Allen, the hero 
of Ticonderoga in the Revolutionary War. On her maternal side she 
is of the old New York Conklin stock. 

Mr. Hickman's party affiliation is Republican, but he is at all 
times above party and partisanship, when the best interests can be 
served by voting for a rival candidate or measure. In 1919, Mr. and 
Mrs. Hickman made a trip of three months to the East and South, 
visiting Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, Alabama and Florida. 
They returned home at the close of the year more pleased than ever 
with this section and their experience leads them to the conclusion 
that there is no state in the Union equal to California foi" climate, resi- 
dence nor the opportunity for making money. 



RICHARD N. LOUCKS 

A citizen of Pomona for nearly fort\' years who has contributeil 
his share to the permanent and substantial development of the city, antl 
a man who has witnessed the marvelous growth of the city of Pomona 
as well as the prosperous development of Pomona Valley, is Richard 
N. Loucks, who for twenty-fi\'e years has been actively engaged in the 
general insurance business here. 

Mr. Loucks was born in the parish of East Baton Rouge, La., 
May 31, 1848, where he was reared. Before he had reached his six- 
teenth birthday, Mr. Loucks entered the Confederate Army as a mem- 
ber of the Sixth Louisiana Cavalry, and was captured near Mobile, 
Ala., December, 1864, and on May 6, 1865, was paroled. 

After the Civil War, Mr. Loucks accepted a position in a mer- 
cantile business at Baton Rouge and later on conducted a general mer- 
chandise store for himself in that city until 1881, when he migrated 
to California. 

It was in the year 1882 that R. N. Loucks arrived in the then un- 
important little town of Pomona, and here for a number of years he 
comkicted a general merchandise store on East Second Street. In 



FiiSTc >\i\ AM) l;l()(•,k.\l'li^■ i>:a 

1S94, Mr. I.oucks rcali/cil that I'oniona oFfcrccI a tirst-class oppor- 
tunity for a j^ood {rcncral insurance business, whereupon lie opened an 
office and has since then lieen engaged in this particuhir hne ot en- 
deavor as the representative of some of the best insurance companies 
in the country. During his long residence in I'omona he has aldeil in 
the material development of the city. 

In the second year after coming to Pomona, Richard N. I.oucks 
was united in marriage with Cora V.. Cromer, a native of Indiana, ami 
this union has been blessed with three sons, and In a prior marriage 
three boys, and all grew to manhood in Pomona: Robert (i. and 
I-"raiik II., residents of Los Angeles; Sylvester D., Richard \., Jr., 
Howard F., and John \V. During the late World War, .Mr. I.oucks 
had the proud distinction of having live of his sons in the L'nited 
States Army, two of whom were in active service with the American 
Expeditionary Force in France. John W. received the Croix de (iuerre 
with bron/e star. 

IVaternally, Richanl N. I.oucks is a member of Lodge No. 789. 
B. P. O. KIks, Pomona, and also a charter member of Pomona Lodge, 
No. 107. K. of P. His keen business judgment has won for Mr. 
Loucks a commendable position among the progressive business men of 
Pomona. 



FI-.RDIN AND DANIS 

One of the pioneer builders of Pomona, and a man of sterling 
character. Ferdinand Davis was born in Cushing. Maine. February 8. 
1840. He learned the carpenter trade as a boy, and at the age of 
ninteen went to Lebanon, N. H., to engage in that business. At the 
outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted, September 21, 1861, in the 
Seventh New Hampshire Regiment, and took part in sixteen engage- 
ments, first seeing service in the Tenth .Army Corps, Department of the 
South, and later in the .Army of the James, (ieneral Butler in com- 
mand. He was wounded in Florida, and was afterward, attached to 
the brigade staff of CJeneral Hawley of Connecticut, and mustered out 
at Concord, N. IL. December 22, 1864, though in service till Februarv 
8, 186.V 

-After the years spent in the service of his countrv, .Mr. Davis 
returned to Lebanon and resumed work at his trade: he worked for a 
New York firm who took contracts for interior finishing, and later 
took up this line himself in New York City, gradually working into 
architectural drawing, for which he had a natural inclination. 

In 1887. .Mr. Davis came to California as a licensed architect 
and located for a short time in Pasadena; soon after he came to La 
Verne in charge of building operations there, and in 1888 he settled 
m Pomona. Here he immediately became identified with the buihling 
up of the town, and drew plans for all the business blocks on the north 



C32 ]lIS■|'()k^ AM) I'.K )(".!< \l'll\' 

side of Second Street, from the 1-irst National Bank Building to tieary 
Street, and the four business blocks on the four comers of Garey Ave- 
nue . He drew the plans for Trinity Church, and was associate archi- 
tect for the Congregational Church. Mr. Davis also was architect 
for the Ebell Club House, the Masonic Temple, the Investment Build- 
ing, in Pomona, among other work; and the Masonic Temple and other 
buildings at Ontario; modern business blocks and residences in Clare- 
mont; and the packing houses at San Dimas and Cilendora. 

Besides his business interests, Mr. Davis has given time to orange 
growing, and owns an eight-acre gro\e in the Ontario district. Since 
his first settling in the Valley he has been a part of its growth, and has 
been a factor for progress and upbuilding in the community. In fra- 
ternal circles he is a member of the Conmiandery in the Masons, and is 
also a member of \"icksburg Post, G. A. R. 

Mr. Da\is married in Lebanon, X. H., January 8, 1867, to Eliza 
A. Thompson, and four chiKlren were born to them: Bernice G. ; 
Mrs. Nellie Hibbard; Raymond M., manager of the Bank of Italy 
at Modesto, and Mrs. Beatrice Ashworth of Santa Barbara. The 
familv attend the Trinitv Methodist Church. 



FREDERICK W. BOWEN 

Prominent among the pioneer residents of Pomona Valley, where 
he has resided for the past thirty-four years, is Frederick W. Bowen, 
who was born near Buffalo, Erie County, N. Y., September 1, 1849. 
At the age of twelve he removed with his father's family to Cerro 
Gordo County and three years later to Humboldt County, Iowa, where 
he was brought up on a farm. In 1869, soon after the continental 
railroad was completed, he came to California on one of the first trains 
across the continent, and after remaining one year on the Pacific Coast 
he drove a horse and buggy north, from Sacramento, Cal., to Albany, 
Ore., and returned to Iowa, where he resumed the occupation of farm- 
ing. In 1885 he came back to California to make a permanent home 
and spend the remainder of his days. He settled in Pomona Valley, 
where he purchased the place where he now li\es, which lies west on 
Holt A\'enue, near Huntington Drive. He planted the land, which 
was a barley field at the time he purchased it, to orange and apricot 
trees, and sold four acres of it. The remaining four he still possesses. 
It is planted to budtled Navel and seedling oranges, and some apricots. 

Before the days of the packing house he sold his fruit to com- 
mission men in Pomona. The a\erage yield for five years on one acre 
of apricots was ten tons a year — ^a fine record. Nearly all the apricot 
trees were taken out and orange trees planted. The grounds around 
his home contain many beautiful and rare shrubs and plants. There 
are two rose bushes that are thirtv-four years old, and he has the tallest 



HISTORY AND I'.K )Gk.\l'l IV (.V^ 

apricot trees in the state on his place. There are also apple trees, 
\ ines, pepper trees, etc. The soil is very rich and productive. He has 
made all the improvements on the place himself, even to linishinj^ the 
interior work on his house. 

Mr. Howen has been very active in water development in the 
Valley. lie is president of the Currier Tract Water Company and 
also of the Irrigation Association of Pomf)na. I he latter system 
serves about 2,000 acres of fruit land east and south of I'omona. Ihe 
water formerly came from artesian wells, but an air-compresor pump- 
ing plant is now used. The Currier Tract Water Company serves o\ er 
100 acres of land north of I'omona and owns two water rights; the 
water is pumped by electric power. 

In his domestic relations Mr. Bowen married Miss Sara Wickes. 
a native of the state of New York. A son was born to them, who died 
in infancy. They then took a niece of Mrs. Bowen's. Cornelia Lor- 
beer, who took the name of Bowen and who was a school teacher in 
Los Angeles Count) for several years. She died in 1903. 

Mrs. Bowen, who has been a teacher in the First Presbyterian 
Sunday School for the past thirty years, has heard all of the ministers 
who have preached in that church during that time. She is \ery active 
in the missionary society of the church and also in Red Cross work, and 
is an active member of the W. C. T. L. When she first came to 
Pomona there were only 500 inhabitants in the place, which supported 
seventeen saloons. She and seven other ladies banded together, and 
through their efforts in the cause of temperance the saloons were 
banished from Pomona. 

Mr. Bowen is a deacon in the First Presbyterian Church, and is 
also very active in temperance work, and with his wife shares in the 
esteem and affectionate regard of the community. 



HOWARD I-:. ULIRY 

A merchant with extensive \'alley connections, who has witnessed 
many changes in the transaction of business since he rirst entered busi- 
ness, is Howard E. Ulery, the well-equipped dealer in feed, fuel and 
seed. He was born near Adel, Dallas County, Iowa, on August 1 1, 
1887, the son of Joseph V. and Susan (Miller) I'lery. natives of ( )hiii 
and Indiana, respectively, who became farmers in Dallas Countv, Iowa, 
and became the parents of six children — three boys and three girls: 
and Mrs. Llery ilied in California in 1907. In 1896, Mr. llerv came 
west and started in the feed business at Pomona, on West Second 
Street, and he has remained more or less active in that line since com- 
ing here. 

'I he fourth child in the order of birth, Howard enjoyed the usual 
common school and high school advantages, graduating from the latter 



634 IIIST( )\i\ AXn r.IoCRAl'in' 

institution licrc in 1907, and then attciuliiiLr Pomona College for a 
couple ot years. Ihus, little by little, he prepared for those responsi- 
bilities in life which he has always discharged in the most conscientious 
manner. In 1909, he entered his father's business as a partner, the 
firm ha\ing formerly been Hoffman & Ulery. When he bought Mr. 
Hoftman out, however, the firm name changed to Ulery & Son, but 
for the last year, Howai^d L'lery has assumed the management of the 
business. Besides his interests there, he owns a tract of gooil land 
in Chino. 

In Pcjmona on June 22, 191(1, Mr. Ulery was married to Miss 
Rita Rogers, whose parents \\ere W. J. and Uuella J. Rogers, and who 
was born in Kansas. Ihey have a son, Howard PI, Jr., and another 
named Roger P^dwin; and the family attend the iirst Methodist 
Church. i\P'. and Mrs. L'iery are public spirited, and e\er ready to 
do their fidl duty as citizens, and especially as resielents of the most 
flom'ishing antl beautifi.il ot inland towns- 



CARPTOX H. SANBORN 

A contractor of Pomona accustomed to operate on an extensive 
scale is Carlttxi H. Sanborn, a iiati\e of the City of the Angels, who 
is justly proud of the fact that both his father anci his grandfather ha\'e 
been prominently identified with the upbuilding of the Valley. He was 
born at Pos Angeles on \Piy 11, 188S, and his father was Arthur 
Sanborn, who was born In APnnesota aiul marrieii Pucy Dickenson, a 
native of England. He came from Missouri with his father, Isaac 
N. Sanborn, a New Englander, in 1886, just when California was 
beginning to "boom," and, locating in Pomona, they engaged in brick 
contracting. Pater, Arthur Sanborn mo\ed to Pos Angeles, but in 
1902 returned to Pomona. Isaac Sanborn and his son Arthur erected 
nearly all ol the brick buildings in and around Pomona, including the 
Sunset Cannery, in which they were both interested financially; the Con- 
gregational Church, the various school buildings, the Masonic 'I'empic 
at Ontario, as well as other buildings there; the Odd Pellows" Building 
at Azusa, and they burned the brick for the Union Block in Nt)rth 
Pomona on the Mesa. Phe grandfather died in 1911, and Arthur 
Sanborn ilied a year later. Mrs. Pucy Sanborn ii\es at \'ictor\ille, 
and is the mother of li\e children, two deceased. Fiiosc lixing are: 
John Hah^or, a forest ranger; Carlton IP; and Mrs. Ruth Pester. 

Carlton attended the public schools of Pos Angeles and came to 
Pomona with his folks. Here b.e attended the high sciiool and later 
learned the bricklaying trade under the direction of his father. < )n 
the death of the latter, in 1912, he took up contracting for brick work, 
and since then has erected all the brick buildings in Pomona except 
two. These include the I lotel .\\Is, the Washington School, the 1 lome 



iiisn )\<.\ AM) i;i( )(".K.\i'iiN- «.;i5 

rdcphonc Buikliny, the White, liuuth, W'url, ' )pcr;i ;iiul I^ichtcr 
garages, all in the city itself, as well as the cooling plant for the Irulian 
Mill Packing I louse at North I'oniona, the building of the I, a X'erne 
Orange and Lemon Growers Association, the addition to the lirst 
National Bank, Azusa, the business blocks in San Dinias and I'uente, 
the Pacific l-'dectric Station and sexeral other buiKlings in Claremont, 
a business block in Cucanionga, and the George Junior Republic iiovs" 
School south of Pomona, each of which is a credit for its ilurabilitv, 
workmanship and style. 

Mr. Sanborn married Sallie Dossett, a natise of Kentucky and 
daughter of James L. Dossett of I'omona, the ceremony taking place 
at Long Beach in 1911. Ihree children ha\e blessed the union, 
Wilma, Ruby and Carlton H., Jr., all of whom may be proud of the 
family name, since many of the ediliccs erected by the Sanborns will 
stand as monuments to their building genius and honesty. Mr. San- 
born is a member of the Pomona Lodge of Oild Fellows, and also 
belongs to the Knights of Pythias. 



l).\\ii;i. MACKEN/IK 

A gentleman of Canadian birth who, basing brought with him to 
California a valuable experience, has been able to be of real sersicc 
to the community while advancing his own interests, is Daniel Mac- 
kenzie, who was born at Unionville, Canada, of Scotch parentage. 1 le 
was reared and educated in his native locality and then learned the 
trades of blacksmith and carriage builder and followed his trade and 
carried on a large carriage manufacturing business for vears, and later 
a sales business of all kinds of agricultural implements, at Owen 
Sound, Ontario. 

Coming to Pomona, Cal., in March, 1905, Mr. Mackenzie 
bought his present place at the corner of Holt and Lnio)i a\enues. 
The ranch was in a run-down condition at time of purchase and he has 
maile many \aluable ami needed impro\ements, among them the erec- 
tion of a comfortable residence and necessary outbuildrngs. He has 
given the trees a scientiric cultivation and has increased the production 
ol oranges from a mere 1(16 boxes a year to an a\erage of 2.500 
boxes. This country home has been given the name of Tulloch Ard. 
the rallying cry of the Mackenzie clan for hundreds of vears. in the 
Highlands of Scotland, and is the center of a kindly hospitality. 

.Mr. Mackenzie is superintendent of the Orange Grove Tract 
Water Company, which owns a fincly-equippeil svstem for supplying 
water tor irrigation and domestic use to more than 600 acres in the 
Packard Orange Grove Tract. This is one of the best svstems in the 
whole \'allcy, commamling a continuous flow of water from wells and 
elevated by means of power! ul pumping plants. All ranches are on 
meter and the consumer pays only for what he uses. 



636 lllS'l'Oin' AM) lUOCK Al'IIV 

In Canada occLirrcci the marriage of Daniel Mackenzie and Mar- 
garet Mitchell Levins, the latter horn in Banff, Scotland, and they have 
one child, a daughter, Helena Bruce Mackenzie, who is widely known 
for her ability. She studied art and drama at Pomona College, gives 
readings and recitations that afford pleasure and uplift to many. She 
is now teacher of art and assistant in dramatics in the Claremont High 
School. Mrs. Mackenzie, who holds a life certificate in Canada as a 
teacher, also one to teach school in Los Angeles County, has, since 
1916, conducted a pri\ate school at Tulloch Ard for children who are 
in need of indi\idual instruction, and her pupils ha\'e been promoted 
and made their grades in the schools of the city. 

It is through SLich worthy settlers as Mr. and Mrs. iVIackenzie 
that Pomona and many of the most desirable residential cities of 
California have been rightly developed and permanently and safely 
established. 



IRA W. POLING 

What Pomona Valley has done and, therefore, what the \'alley 
ma)' ilo again for the orange grower, is well illustrated in the success 
attained by Ira W. Poling, who came t(5 California a little over a 
decade ago. He was born near Kewanna, Pulton County, Ind., on 
March 18, 1852, the son of Arnold and Lydia (Hudkins) Poling, 
born in Virginia, who removed to Intliana and became farmers there. 
Ira W. grew up on the home farm imtil he was twenty-three years 
of age. Then, in 1875, he remo\'ed to Pawnee County, Nebr., where 
he bought a quarter section of land near Pawnee City, which he im- 
proved and brought to a fine state of culti\ation. Selling out, he went 
to Jackson County, Kans., near Holton, and there bought eighty acres, 
which he farmed for a short time. (_)nce more selling out, he removed 
to Shawnee County, in the same state, and there secured a quarter 
section of land near Topeka, which he farmed and afterward traded 
for a (|uarter section near Oklahoma City, Okla., where he engaged 
in agricultural pursuits for fourteen years. In Kansas he was a 
member of the Farmers' Alliance, and both profited and contributed 
toward the association with others in the same field. 

In the fall of 1906, Mr. Poling came to Pomona, and here he 
purchased an orange grove on San Bernardino Avenue, consisting of 
nine and a third acres, which he afterward sold. Then he bought his 
present fine orange ranch of ten and a third acres, at 700 East Kingsley 
A\enue. He erected a fine residence and other desirable buildings, 
and otherwise greatly improved the property; and after he had intro- 
duced the most scientific methods in its management, lie took in 191.1 
about $9,000 worth of fruit from the farm. Since then he has dem- 
onstrated that in good years his ranch will produce 6,000 bf)\es of 
fruit. 1 le also bought a fine gro\'e on East Holt A\enue of eight 





.^ 



^ 

^ 



> 




HIS'I'ORV AXI) IMOC.RAl'llV IkV> 

and a halt acres. As might he expected of so enterprising ;uk1 repre- 
sentative an orange grower, Mr. Poling identified himsell' with the 
Pomona Fruit Growers l-!xchange and also with the Pajomares 
Irrigation Company. 

In Pawnee County, Xehr., on .March 26, 1.S7.S, .Mr. Poling was 
married to .Miss Myra 1'.. Knnefer, a nati\e of luireka, W'oodtOnl 
County, 111., and the daughter of William and Kehccca (Carpenter) 
I'.nnefer, born in England and Ohio, respectively. They removed 
from Illinois to Nebraska in 1S76. The father liied in Jackson 
County, Kans., being sur\i\etl by his widow, who is now S4 years 
old. .Mr. and .Mrs. Poling have had live daugiiters, ail popular in 
their se\eral circles. Lulu, the cklest, and J-'.sthcr, the youngest, are 
at home; Nellie is the wife of C. I-. Compton of Los .\ngeles. and 
the mother of two children; .Minnie is the wife of M. C. Beesley of 
Ontario; and l'.\ a has become .Mrs. O. C. Williams of Pomona, and 
is the mother of three children. 

-Mr. Poling sold his orchards in Pomona in 1919. and removed 
to Anaheim, where he purchaseil twenty-four acres on East Center 
Street, which is de\ oted to raising \'alencia oranges, and he is now 
a member of the Anaheim Citrus Fruit Association. With his family 
he is a member of the Christian Church in Anaheim. 



Ill NRV 15. 1)A\IS 

A scientifically-trained ranchman whose expert knowledge of the 
citrus industry has led to his selection for most important posts of 
responsibility is Henry B. Davis, the ex-president of the Indian Ilill 
Citrus Association of North Pomona, who was born near .Monticello, 
Wayne County. Ky., on August 16, IS.vs. When only a year old 
he was brought to Putnam County, .Mo., and in 1879 he graduated 
from the State L'niversity at Columbia. The next year he movetl 
west to Deer Lodge, in the county of that name, in .Montana, ami 
there establishctl hitiiself in his profession as ci\il engineer. 

It was not long before Mr. Davis became assistant engineer in 
charge of construction work for the Northern Pacific Railway, and 
by 1891 he had become mayor of Deer Lodge, an evidence of the 
esteem in which he was held. For fourteen years, too, he was county 
surveyor of Deer Lodge County. 

At the same time, Mr. Davis became president of the Davis & 
Williams Live Stock Company, and with two others owned 17.0<'f) 
acres of land and 20.00(1 sheep. In 1891-92. when Powell County. 
Mont., was formed, he was made chairman of the first board of 
county commissioners. 

Fortunately for Pomona as well as for the subject of our inter- 
esting re\iew, the year 1910 found Mr. Davis in Pomona, an orange 



6-10 HISTORY AM) lUUGRAl'lIV 

grower, and in 1914 the possessor of a fine home on Hiawasse A\enue, 
which he erected tliat year. In 1889, at Deer Lodge, Mont., he was 
married to Elizabeth Woolfolk, a nati\e of Kentucky and the daugh- 
ter of the Kev. A. M. Woolfolk, also a native of that state. 

in 1913 Mr. Da\is became a director in the Indian Hill Citrus 
Association, and he became its president in June, 1918, to lill a 
\-acancy, but in September of that year he was elected president, a 
position he held until the return of Mr. Sederholm in November, 
1919, when he became \'ice-president. He is also a director in the 
Canyon Water Company, and a stockholder anti director in the 
Pomona Investment Company. During his term of president he rep- 
resentetl his company in the San Antonio Fruit Exchange. 

l^speciailv popular in fraternal circles, Mr. Davis is a Mason, 
a member of the Lodge. Chapter, Commandery in Pomona, and 
belongs to the Los Angeles Shrine. His oldest child, Harry B., is 
with the Standard Oil Company at Bakerstield; Alexander W. Davis, 
another son, is an attorney of Los Angeles: Julian R. is assistant 
cashier of the State Bank at Idaho Falls, Klaho; while Charlotte is 
a graduate of the Uni\ersity of California at Berkeley, a member of 
the Class of '19, and now a teacher in Clifton, Ariz. 



HAROLD C. DEWEY 

Anning the manv good citizens that the Empire State has con- 
tributeil to increase the population of Calitornia, Harold C. Dewey 
is worthy of mention. He was born in Lincoln, Wayne County, 
\. Y., January 26, 1880, the son of Morris M. and Julia (Lee) 
Dewey, the former born in Delta, ( )neida County, X. Y., and the 
latter in Somers, Conn.; she died in Pomona in 1893, leaving three 
children — Mamie, Mrs. Harris, now of Yuma, Ariz.; Helen, Mrs. 
Chown, living in Portland, Ore.; and Harold C, of this review. The 
family settled in Pomona, Cal., in 1883, where the father was in the 
employ of J. E. Packard and others, in setting out orchards and vine- 
yarils in this Vallev, and later engaged in the real estate business in 
Pomona for many years. He is now in business in Portland, Ore. 

Harold C. was but three years old when the family settled in 
Pomona \'a!ley, where he has passed nearly all the years of his life, 
therefore is full of reminiscences concerning Pomona when it was 
but a struggling village. As a boy he shot rabbits in what is now 
the main business section of the town. Here he attended the gram- 
mar antl high schools, graduating from the latter in 19U0, ami when 
he was able he assisted his father in his work of setting out and caring 
for citrus and deciduous orchards, later taking up the real estate and 
building business, which he has since followed. He has built inany 



iiisT( )]<y WD I'.n )C.k \rii\' (.41 

residences ;irui lusines structures in I'oiiKina ami nearl \ cities lor 
hiniselt and lias owned four orange yroves. He has put on tlu 
market and sold oH three suhdivisions. and has dont as ni.ich to 
develop the N'ailev as any one nan within its conlines. I he position 
he has attained has heeii through his own ellorts and his display ol 
good husiness ability and reliability in his transactions. 

The marriage of Harold C. Dewey and Miss Uernice Surtees. a 
native ot Colwich, Kans., was solemnized in Princeton, Kans., in JunL-, 
1907, and thev have become parents of two c'.iililren — Mlldreii 11. 
and \'irginia A. .Mrs. Dewey is active in social and club lite, ami 
is president of the l:'.bell Club (1919). .Mr. and .Mrs. Dewev arc 
members and workers in the I'irst .Methodist Church of Pomona. 



ci-.oRCii', R. rviJ-K 

A pioneer horticulturist of Pomona \'alley ami one who has done 
much toward developing that industry in this section of the state, 
(ieorge K. Tvler has in the last decade seen many changes in the 
growth and upbuilding of this wonderful \'alley and has done his share 
in aiding it to a successful and prosperous state of development. Born 
in Perry County, HI-, .March 22, 1871, he was raised in that state 
and there received his early training along horticultural lines which 
fitted him for his work in the West. He later went to Kansas and 
lived there for a time, then, September 16, 1890, came to Pomona. 
After his arrival he first worked in the orchards then being set out in 
the \'allev: and later, with his brothers, Lewis and Charles, engaged 
in budding ami grafting oranges, lemons and grapefruit, antl the I yler 
brothers became well known throughout the \'alley for their expert 
work in that line, and their services were much in demand. 

Later, Mr. Tvler assisted in the development of the property 
south of Claremont known as the "Loud Ranch." lie was super- 
intendent of the ranch and set out many trees, also de\ elopeil the water 
system on the property. .Mr. Tyler did more of this kiiul of work 
than any other one man in the X'alley, and the \ alue of his services 
in horticultural development can readily be seen. 

Since 1905 Mr. Tyler has been in the fertilizer business, a pioneer 
in that line. He has been most successful in this untlertaking, and not 
onlv sells the product, but his thorough knowledge of horticulture 
enables him to give ad\ice as to its use, and all who ha\e useil it ha\ e 
greatly increased the yield of their orchariis. 

The marriage of .Mr. Tyler united him with Bertha Barrett, a 
native of Lngland, and two sons have been born to them : (ieorge d.. 
who enlisted in the One Humired lorty-fourth lield .Artillery in 
ser\ ice in t!ie \\'orld War, was sent to Trance, and was dischargeil 



(.42 IIIST( )K\ AM) r.K x'-RAl'HY 

June 29. 1919; aiui Arthui-, a student of Pomona College, taking a 
course in ci\il, hydraulie and structural engineering, and now attending 
Stanford I 'ni\ersit\'. 

in the miiist of his i.le\elopment work and business interests, Mr. 
r)Ier has found time to de\ote to the social and fraternal life of the 
community, lie is a member of the Pomona Lodge oi Oild I^'ellows 
since 1900. lilnergetic, and with progress for his watchword, Mr. 
Tyler belie\-es that the way to get things done is to get to work and 
tlo them, and the results show that he is a man of keen \ision. In his 
early reminiscences of this section, he tells of shooting quail and rabbits 
where the Pomona High School now stands, and also on the present 
site of Claremont. This section has de\eloped with such remarkable 
rapidity that a \oung man can still be an old pioneer here I 



JOHN P. EVANS 

Like many of his fellow citizens in Pomona, John P. Evans had 
varied and interesting experiences, in travel and business, before set- 
tling down in this peaceful and prosperous Valley. He is a native of 
Lexington, Davidson County, N. C, born August 27, 1877. His 
parents were Alexander and Eliza (Clodfelter) Evans, farmer folk 
in the Southern state; the father entered the Southern army when six- 
teen vears old ami sei-\ed with Lee three anil one-half years; he is still 
li\ ing. 

['he Noungest of eight chiKlren born to his parents, John P. E\-ans 
received his education in the rin'al schools of North Carolina, and in 
the school of experience. At the age of twenty he followed in his 
patriotic father's footsteps and enlisted in Company !•", Second NFis- 
souri \'olunteer Infantry, at Clinton, Mo._, to serve in the Spanish War 
as a private; he was matle a corporal and later received his honorable 
discharge from the service. On his return to business life the young 
man went into the shipping room of a wholesale grocery house, and 
when twenty-one years of age worked ten hours a day and then attend- 
ed night school and took a business course; an example of ambition and 
industry which speaks for the character of the man. 

In 1900 Mr. Evans came West and settled for a time at Colorado 
Springs; for one year he worked in a grocery store, then was interested 
in mining for a few months, and later worked for the Colorado Mid- 
land Railway, in the bridge and building department, remaining in that 
employment fourteen months. He found his natural leaning to be 
toward mercantile pursuits, howevei% and for four years worked for 
B. G. Robbins Clothing Company; then for three vears was with Gid- 
dings Brothers Dry Goods Company, and with a partner maintained 
a clothing store under the firm name of Evans & Gorton for one year. 
This busmess he soKi out and in 1910 came to Corona, and here pur- 



HISTOKV A\I) I'.KJGRAl'lIV M.? 

chased an orange grove. 1 ebruary 15, 1911, Mr. lA ans opened his 
present business, a men's clothing and furnishing establishment, in I'o- 
mona. and has met with success in the line he had spent years of ex- 
perience in learning. 

The marriage of .Mr. I'lvans, on October 4, 19(l5, united him 
with .Miss .Marv (irace Combe, anii one son has been born to them, 
John .\lexander. During his business career .Mr. 1!\ ans has found 
time to take part in fraternal organizations; he is a member ot I'omo- 
na Lodge, No. 7.S9. B. P. <). I-'lks, ami past exalted ruler of that order; 
is a member of the Knights of I'ythias, the Modern Woodman, and in 
business and civic aftairs belongs to the Chamber ol Commerce, in 
which he is a director. He was acti\e in war work ikiring the years of 
the World War, and was secoml lieutenant of the Pomona Home 
Ciuards. Since his first residence here .Mr. K\ans has shown himself a 
man of public spirit antl progressive ideas, and has won the respect of 
his community in his willingness to cooperate in advancing the welfare 
of this section along all lines of endeavor. 



GEORGH 11. Wn 1 1 N.MVKR 

A master artisan, whose continuing and increasing success for 
years has undoubtedly been due to the superiority of his workmanship, 
is George H. Wittenmyer, the decorator and painting contractor of 
1050 Kast Sixth Street, Pomona. He was born at Centcrville, Appa- 
noose County, Iowa, on October 12, 1882, and there attended the 
public schools, while he grew up on a farm. At the age ot sixteen, 
however, he went to Minneapolis for a year, but then returned to 
Iowa; and from his eighteenth to his twenty-tirst yeaV of age, he 
worketi in the boiler making shops ot the Chicago, Burlington & 
Quincy Railroad at Centerville, in that state. When he tirst went to 
Chicago, he was fireman with the Illinois Northern Railroad; then he 
entered the wholesale store of Sells, Schwab Shoe Company, and atter 
that he was employed by Marshall lield & Company, the Cutler Shoe 
Company, and the I'dison I'Icctric Company. In the end, he remox cii 
further west, to North Dakota. 

In 1909, dissatisfied with even the best that the Dakotas and other 
sections of the West had to offer, Mr. Wittenmyer moved on to Cali- 
fornia, and in Ontario he worked for a while with C. M. Kellog, the 
painting contractor. Next he removed to I'omona and here entereil 
the employ of Harry W. I- reycrmuth ; for two years he filled that post 
with ability and satisfaction to everybody, and then he concludeil to 
strike out for himself. 

Irom the beginning, .Mr. Wittenmyer has been unusually success- 
ful, as even the briefest list of some of the edifices he has decorated 
will show, rhese inchule the resiliences of Fred H. Baringer, I'homas 



(A4 lllS'r( n<\ AM) I'.K )C.RA1'I1Y 

A. Williams. B. Chaffee Shepherd, Anson C. Thomas, Mrs. J. S. 
Brownell and H. G. \\'itte, also the Beekley and Head residences, all 
in Pomona. He also has painted, among others, the homes of Charles 
Barnum at Claremont, George \V. Chessman and P'red B. Palmer in 
Walnut, and G. D. Tageman in San Dimas. He decorated the interior 
of the Pilgrim Congregational Church, the Ebell Cluh House, the 
nurses' home of the Pomona Valley Hospital, the State Bank Building, 
and the interior of the Orange Belt Emporium Block. He was called 
upon to add the finishing touches to se\eral of the finest homes at 
Ri\erside and Rivera. 

in addition to his busy life as contractor in the field mentioned, 
Mr. Wittcnmyer has been identified with real estate development in 
this section in an interesting manner. He bought ten acres of raw 
land in the ( )ntario district, and traded the same for two lots on North 
Park A\enue in Pomona. Phis he in turn traded for two acres on 
Phillips antl White a\'enues, Pomona. He set the same out to walnuts, 
and established a fine irrigation system, and then traded that for a 
Se\enth Street residence, which once more he traded for his present 
home at 1050 East Sixth Street. 

In San Bernardino Mr. W^ittenmyer \\as married to Ethel I. Hull, 
a native of Jamestown, X. V., by whom he has had two children, 
Durwartl E. and Loretta May. His family are members of the First 
Methodist Church. Mr. Wittenmyer is a member of the Knights of 
Pvthias of Pomona. 



TQDD & PATTERSON 

The iirm of Todd & Patterson, undertakers, is on a par with the 
other up-to-date business establishments in Pomona, and ranks as one 
of the best in this line in the Valley, with every modern convenience 
for the conduct of their business, and the two partners give their entire 
time and undi\ided attention to the thorough management of the same. 

Weaker B. Todd, the" senior member of the firm, is a nati\-e of 
New York state, horn May 20, 1847, at Brewster, Putnam County. 
At the age of one year he was taken to Ohio by his parents, antl 
was reared in that state, attending the public schools. His first busi- 
ness venture was one of seven men to organize the A. B. Chase Organ 
Company at Norwalk, Ohio, and he was associated with the company 
for ten years, when he took up the retail business of musical instru- 
ments in Norwalk. 

In 1905, Mr. Todtl came to California and settleil in Pomona, 
and here engaged in the undertaking business in partnersiiip with J. E. 
Patterson on Second Street, continuing for eighteen months. Pie then 
engaged in business for himself. On July 1, 1914, he formed a partner- 
ship with Tillman W. Patterson under the firm name of Todd & Pat- 



HISTORY AND r.inr,R-\ri IV M3 

tcrson, aiul the Inisincss lias ^frown with the passiiifi nl the years, m 
keeping with tlie growth and expansion of the city, ami the lirni now 
occupies a nioilern establishment at 570 North (Jarey A\enue, with 
everything in keeping with the surroundings. Both partners are 
licensed undertakers, and take pride in their reputation for work that 
is recogni/.ed as the best in that class of business. They have a Winton 
motor hearse, ambulance ser\ice car, and three touring cars. J'he 
establishment has a chapel in connection, ami a lady attendant in the 
parlors. 

Mr. Toilil has also been interested in orange growing, ami owns 
a thirteen-acrc bearing orange grose at La \'erne. 1 le is prominent in 
fraternal circles, a member of the Masonic fraternity, bulge, chapter, 
council and commandery in Pomona ami the Shrine of Los Angeles, and 
past patron of the Lastern Star; ami is an Oiid lellow. Fie is an 
officer in the I-irst Methodist Church. In all civic affairs Mr. Totiti 
has taken a prominent part ami has always hail the welfare of his 
district at heart. 

Mr. Todd has been twice marrleil, ami by his lirst wife, lannic 
S. Green, he has two children, Charles W. of Great j-alls, Mont., and 
Bertha (Mrs. C. H. Lamlmeister) of Bellexuc, Ohio. Mis second 
marriage unitetl him with Miss Lmily Richardson of (Jhio, and one 
son has been born to them, John K., who as chief yeoman in the 
I'niteil States Navy, saw service in I'rance during the World War. 
Returning from the service he has taken a course of enibalming at 
Columbus. Ohio, and on January 1, 1920. became a partner in the (irm 
of Todd & Patterson. He is a Mason and a member of the Knights 
of Pythias. 

Tillman W. Patterson, the junior member of the firm of Todd & 
Patterson, was born in Linn County, Iowa. March 29, IS.SO, and when 
se\en years old came to Pasadena, Cal. Returning to Iowa, he was 
raised on a farm in that state, and educated in the public schools, 
tinishing with a college course near Barnes\"illc, Ohio. 

After tinishing his education, .Mr. Patterson entereil the emplov 
of the Providence Life & Trust Company of Philadelphia for two 
years. He then returned to Iowa and with a brother carried on a farm 
implement business in Spring\ ille, that state. The \\'est was his goal, 
however, and in the summer of 1910 he returned to California and 
settled in Pomona, (irst conducting an undertaking establishment alf)ne, 
at 2.^(1 North (iarey Avenue, continuing this business until Julv 1 , 1914, 
when he joincil forces with .Mr. Todd and the firm of Toiki & Patter- 
son was formed, a full descriptittn of the business being given in the 
senior partner's sketch. .Mr. Patterson recciveii an extensive training 
in the work to which he devotes his time; in 1906 he graduated from 
the Barnes School of Hmbalming of Chicago, and in I907 receiveil his 
license as an embalmer in the state of low a. 



646 1IIST( )\<\ AXI) I'.K )('.R,\ri[Y 

SincL' lirst taking up his residence here, Air. Patterson has been 
acti\e in fraternal circles as well as in the business life of the city; he 
is a member of Pomona Lodge, No. 789, B. P. O. Elks, a member and 
deputy grand chancellor of the Knights of Pythias, and has passed 
through all the chairs of the I'omona lodge, also attending meetings 
of the Grand Lodge of that order; he is active in church work in the 
community, ami is secretary of Trinity Methodist Lpiscopal Church 
Sunday School. 

1 he mai-i'iage ot .Mr. I'atterson u!iited huii with ILirriett B. 
\Villiams, a native of L)wa, and two children ha\e been born to them: 
Orriii I . and Cecil A. Mrs. Patterson is as interested in ci\ic affairs 
and the welfare of their home communit\ as is her husband, and she is 
active in the Pythian Sisters, in which she is past chief, and in the Red 
Cross work in Pomona. 



ROBERT WHITE 

Among the highly-trained artisans of Pomona, such as are always 
an asset to any community, one cannot fail to mention Mr. Robert 
White, the expert foreman of the moulding department of the Pomona 
Manufacturing Company on East Bertie Street. He was born at Cres- 
ton, Union County, Iowa, on May 16, 1876, and attended the public 
schools there until he was twelve years of age. Then he started to 
learn the traile ot a moulder in a small shop of the town, managed by 
the Brennan Company. Lhis was a combination blacksmith shop and 
foundry, and that was where Mr. White got his first idea of the 
moulder's trade. 

At eighteen, he left Creston aiul loUowcil his trade m some of the 
largest foundries in southern Wisconsin. He was with the Fuller- 
Johnson Company of Madison, the Westbrick Foundry Company of 
Galena, and the Baker Manufacturing Company of E\'ans\ille, Wis., 
and at Beloit he was foreman in the moulding shop of the Berlin 
Machine Works, and had charge of a large crew of men, since o\-er 
two thousand men were employeil, all in all, in the touiulrw He also 
followed his trade in Texas. 

In 1908, attracted happily to the Pacific Coast, Mr. White came 
to Southern California, and was for a while with the L^nion Tool Com- 
pany of Los Angeles. Later still, he was in the employ of the Hot 
Point Company of Ontario. In each of these establishments he was 
able to show both his superior naturah ability and his superior training. 

In 1909, Mr. White entered the employ of the Pomona Manufac- 
turing Company, where he was acti\e for two years as a moulder, and 
then he was appointed to the foremanship that he now holds. His 
years ot experience in many of the best shops of the Middle West 




<• C>/iW^5^ 



IIISTOkN' AM) i;|( )(",R.\I'II\' 640 

made lum from the beginning ot the engagement a valuable man to 
have in town; and each year his value increases, both with respect to 
his employers and to the public. 

Rather naturally, Mr. White was not long in identifying himself 
with Pomona, and in the most permanent fashion. Ihe same year that 
he came to Pomona, he bought five acres of raw land in the Ontario 
district, located on Central A\enue south of First Street, in the Monte 
Vista tract, and this, having built there a house ami barn and plantetl 
orange trees, he has developed into a fine place. I lis Na\el orange 
trees are now se\en years old and in bearing. 

Mr. White joined the Odd lellows when he was twenty-one years 
old, and he now belongs to the Pomona Lodge. I. O. O. V. 



RORIRT III- M()HT( >\ 

Pomona \'alley and adjacent districts are noted tor the large 
number of automobiles, and their progressive and enterprising citizens 
demand the best conveniences of modern twentieth century civiliza- 
tion. 1 he fact that there arc so many garages throughout the country 
IS a sure indication that this is a business both popular and profitable. 

Robert Lee Morton, proprietor of the Motor Inn (jarage, at 
La X'erne, Cal., is a native of San Luis Obispo. Cal., and was born 
NLny 23, 1892. His father, Robert B. Morton, was horn in Ohio, 
and his mother, who in maidenhood was Miss Alice Andrews, was 
born in San Luis Obispo, Cal., and is a daughter of the San Luis 
Obispo pioneer family founded by J. P. Andrews of "49er fame. 
Robert B. Morton was reared in Ohio and came to California in 1851. 
where he followed the \ocation of school teaching. Later he turned 
his attention to tilling the soil, in which occupation he has had experi- 
ence all over the state of California. He was one of the earlv settlers 
at Rcdlands. and later, in 1888, located at Ontario. .\t present he is 
living at Pasadena and owns a ranch at San (Jabriel. 

Robert Lee .Morton located in Pomona in lOlll. He worked 
his way through Pomona high school and in the meantime used his 
spare time in working in the garages of Street ami Zander and L. W. 
Davis at Pomona, gaining a thorough knowleiige of the business. 
After finishing his education he entered the employ of W. H. (iates at 
Pomona, and later was in the employ of the National .Motor Car Com- 
pany of Los Angeles. He then entered the employ of the Layne & 
Bowler Company at Los Angeles, manufacturers of turbine pumps 
for irrigation purposes, ami came to Chino, where he installeil pumps 
on the ranches in that district. For a short time he was located at 
Grays Harbor, Aberdeen, Wash., in garage work, then returned to 
California and entereil the employ of the Burt Motor Companv at 
Los Angeles. I'rom there he came to La \'erne and worked for C. I F 
Larimer in his garage for two years, when he resigncii and purchased 



650 HISTORY AND llIoC.RAPll V 

a one-half interest in that garage with H. M. Daily. 1 hey named 
it the Motor Inn Garage, and carried on the business together, until 
1918, when Mr. Morton bought his partner's interest and continued 
as proprietor of the Motor Inn Garage. It is a modern, up-to-date 
building with a pressed brick front, and Mr. Morton carries a full 
line of Goodyear and Mason tires and does a fine business. 

In Pomona, July 20, 1915, he married Miss Lorie Norcross, 
and they have two sons, Robert N. and Hobart. In his religious 
associations Mr. Morton is a member of the Vwst Presbyterian 
Church at Pomona. 



LUMAN RUTTY 

Few can imagine, pi^obably, the peculiar satisfaction of such a 
pioneer as Luman Rutty who, having made a positive success in his 
chief undertaking prior to coming to California, sacrificed much in 
order to settle where he believed that the inducements were greater 
and the field of opportunity for doing good infinitely broader and 
more inviting. From the beginning he has had faith not only in the 
Golden State, but in Pomona Valley, and from the beginning he has 
known that it is only a question of time when the forces of evil will be 
routeei, antl California made one of the choicest and most desirable 
places in all the world to dwell in. One such e\ii — King Alcohol — • 
has just tottered and fallen; and it is natural that this fact alone should 
give every recompense to one who for years, at much cost of one kind 
or another, ad\ocated prohibition and the right and the duty of e\'ery 
good citizen to declare it an outlaw. 

Mr. Rutty was born on September 25, 1849, near New Haven, 
in Middlesex County,- Conn., close to the Atlantic Coast, and in the 
eventful year of 1861 he emigrated to Jefferson County, Kans. He 
was, therefore, a pioneer who saw Kansas grow, and he is proud of the 
fact that he early helped to make that state dry. He was an ardent 
Prohibitionist, and for forty-three years always voted the ticket of 
that party. At the same time, realizing that a man's first duty is to 
himself and family, and that no one can well serve society until they 
first care for themselves, he attended strictly to his agricultural interests 
and had one of the best farms of its size anywhere in the state. He 
farmed a half section of land situated along a creek, finely improved, 
whereon were no less than thirteen farm buildings. 

Notwithstanding that this prosperity had made him a man of 
lironiinence in that part of the country, Mr. Rutty removed west and 
in 190.? settled for a while in Redlands. He found it too hot, however, 
and so came to more beautiful Pomona, locating here in 1905. Now 
he owns three ranches, and each is a credit to him. The home place is 
at \M\ South White Avenue, where he has ten acres of walnuts and 



HISTORY AND niOGRAlMIV 651 

ilcciduous truits; ami he also has tun acres on I'.ast (iraiul A\ eniie ile- 
voted to .Na\ el oranges. Another live acres, also set out to oranges, is 
on Holt Street. 

Believing that Pomona is the linest ot all places west of the Rocky 
Mountains, .Mr. Rutty has never failed to he a good "hooster" tor the 
N'ailey and without doubt has done much to attract others both to visit 
and settle here. He never tires talking of the rich soil hereabouts and 
its possibilities, and tinds no difficulty in pointing to his own success in 
drawing out the qualities of the rich earth. 

When Mr. Rutty was married, on September 12, 1878, in Atchi- 
son County, Kans., he took for his wife Miss Jennie C. Bechtel, of 
Kansas, a charming woman and a poetess of note, who has made a 
good wife and devoted mother. Four children have blessed their 
union: Carl, I'.llen, luinice and Ruth. The family attend the First 
Baptist Church. 

W. B. CiATES 

One of the enterprising and progressive young business men of 
Pomona, \V. B. (iates, as proprietor of the Studebaker (iarage. 410 
East Second Street, has built up a far-reaching and successful business 
and in keeping with the growing prosperity of the city and surrounding 
territory. A native of Kentucky, he was born in (i raves County, Sep- 
tember 20, 1883. I lis father, J. B. F. Gates, was a physician, and the 
young lad received his education in the country and public schools of 
Graves County until twelve years of age when the family moved to 
Obion County, Tenn. He entered and graduated trom the N'alparaiso 
(Ind.) College. On finishing his schooling he remaineil at home for a 
year, and later was with the railway mail service for twenty months 
between Cincinnati and Nashville. 

On October 12, 1907, Mr. Gates came to California, and Decem- 
ber 12 of that same year markeii his arrival in Pomona, lor a time 
he worked at orange picking; then built his home and followed car- 
penter work In ani.1 around Pomona for four years, assisting in the 
building of many of the fine homes here. 

May 1, 191 1, he entered the employ of Mr. Davies of the Stuile- 
baker Garage, and on May 25, 1912, Mr. (jates bought out his ctii- 
ployer ami became sole owner of the garage, which he operates in a 
thoroughly modern and efficient manner, and has the agency for both 
the Studebaker and I'ranklin cars, having sold over 4<l0 of the former 
since being in the business for himself. 

The marriage of .Mr. (iates united him with .Millie .M. 
Murphy, a native of Intliana. He is a member of irinity .Methoilist 
Church, and in business circles, of the Chamber of Commerce. \'erv 
loyal to his home city, he is interesteil in everything that makes for 
local reform, improvement and expansion, and keeps abreast of the 
times in every respect. 



652 IIISTOKV AM) I'.K )C.KA1'I1V 

FRANK C. ROBINSON 

Many of our worthy Canadian cousins ha\e crossed the border 
and made homes for their families in the L nited States. Among these 
is Frank C. Robinson, a leading blacksmith at Pomona. Mr. Robinson 
was born in Ontario, Canada, I'ebruary 6, 186U, and is the son of 
William and Fliza (Morrison) Robinson, Canadian farmers, now 
deceased. 

In a family of eleven children, Frank C. was the fifth child, and 
received his etlucation in the schools of Canada and in the larger 
school of experience. He remained on the farm until he attaineel the 
age of sixteen, and was then apprenticed to the blacksmith trade. 
After four years spent at home, he went to Duluth, Minn,, and from 
there to Fargo, N. D. He spent one year in the radroad business, 
then went to Lisbon, N. D., where he remaineti for thirteen years. He 
next went to Salt Lake City, L'tah, and spent the succeeding thirteen 
years. He was then attracted t(j San Diego, Cal., where he lived one 
year. In 1909 he came to Pomona, and opened a blacksmith shop. 
His far-sighted wisdom in his choice of a location has been exemplified 
in the prosperity he enjoys in this last business venture. 

September 17, 1888, Mr. Robinson was united in marriage with 
Miss Jennie Durbin, and their union has been blessed with the birth 
of three children: Ruth May, Mildred and Allan D. Mr. Robinson 
is an enterprising, public-spirited citizen, deeply interested in all that 
pertains to Pomona and the Pomona \'alley, and a booster of all 
enterprises tending toward the public welfare. He has gained a high 
place in the esteem and confidence of his fellow citizens, deeply inter- 
ested in the cause of education. In his religious association Mr. 
Robinson is a Methodist. Politically he is a Prohibitionist, and frater- 
nally he belongs to the Masonic order and the Woodmen of the World. 



ARTHUR V. STOUGHTON, M.D. 

In the eight years that Dr. Arthur V. Stoughton has been practic- 
ing his profession in Claremont he has become substantially identified 
with the medical fraternity in Pomona \'alle\'. His career has neces- 
sarily not been of lengthy duration, as he is stdl a voung man, but his 
success thus far presages a future which shall bring him even greater 
honors in his profession tlian he has already attaineei. 

He was born at Terryville, Conn., November 2, 1872, and accom- 
panied his mother to California for her health in 1882. He attended 
the public and high schools of San Bernardino, and entered Pomona 
College at Claremont in 1 890 as a senior preparatory student, graduat- 
ing from that institution in 1895 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. 
He graduated from the Ohio Medical University, Columbus, Ohio, in 
1898 with the degree of M.D., and after practicing his profession in 




"MM^iM^ ^^ 



'A^IA. 



IIISTOKV AND I'.loCk AI'IIN 651 

western W'voinin^ tor three years returneii to his home town, Terry- 
\ llle, Conn., and eoiitiiuieil the practice ot iiiciiicine. I le took a post- 
jjraduatc course in Johns Hopkins lrii\ersity. Baltimore, and also in 
the I Iar\ ard Medical School, and after a luiropean trip, where he con- 
tinued his nieilicaj research in the unixcrsities on the continent, he locat- 
ed at Clarcmont in 191 1. 1 le was Assistant I'rotessor of i'sysiologv 
and Hygiene in Pomona Collcj^e and at present is Associate Professor 
ot Physiology in the College as well as college physician. 

He chose for a wife Clara Benson, a native of Iowa. He is an 
active member of the Claremont Church, and in the line of his profes- 
sion, is a member of the American .Medical .Association, the state ami 
the county niedical associations. 



Wll i I AM 1 I Kin 

An Irish-born gentleman who has had a most interesting expe- 
rience in his development to the enviable position of an .American bv 
adoption prominent among the settlers of Pomona \'alley, is William 
Perry, the well-known citrus grower, who first saw the light of day 
in County Donegal, Ireland, on .April 16, 1854. His father was 
Daniel Kerry, a farmer, who married Miss Ann lerrv, who although 
of the same name, was of no direct relationship. Thev had eight 
children, and among them William was the oldest. Both parents are 
now dead, and their memory is reverenced by all who knew them. 

William received the usual advantages of a common school edu- 
cation in Ireland, but having early to help support the family, he was 
denied extensive study, although able also to attend the night school. 
His mother died when he was fourteen years old, ami that misfortune 
increased the demand for his services. He was therefore apprenticed 
to a stonemason and plasterer fOr five years, but he had a hard time 
of it, on account of the small pay alloweti such apprentices. After 
completing his apprenticeship he worked at his traile for seven years 
in Scotland, antl finally tlecided to come to America. 

In 1881 he reached Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, and there he 
remained for two years. Then, crossing into the States, he went to 
Vermont and remained until 1887. In that year, when all .America 
was talking of the phenomenal and rapid growth of California, he 
came West and worked at his tratle at La \'erne until the boom bub- 
bles broke; whereupon he mo\ eil his house from I. a \ erne to San 
Dimas. 

Here, beginning in 18S9 with one acre, he engageil in citrus 
growing, setting his laml out to oranges. In 1895-96 he bought 
eighteen acres of land. He raised his own nurserx stock ami set out 
his entire eighteen acres himself frorji trees ile\eloped in the nursery. 
In the early days he went through many hanlships while raising his 



(.54 HISTORY AXD UlUGRAl'll V 

orchard so he worked at his trade and at contract, makinir tunnels and 
sinkinti welis to make a li\ing until the orchard came into hearing. 
1 le first sunk a well on his place, hut it pro\ed no good. He then 
hought water till 19tH), when he helped organize the IVostless Belt 
Water Company that sunk wells and installed a pumping plant to irri- 
gate 100 acres, lie was made manager anci later was also made 
presitient of the company, a position he filled with ahility until he sold 
his ranch, \\hen he resigned. 1 le now resides m San Dimas, where he 
owns the corner ot Gladstone and Grand avenues, the most heautiful 
huilding site in San Dimas. He was indeed active in water develop- 
ment and maile a success of the water company. The memhers of the 
same appreciated his services and speak in glowing terms of his work 
for the company. Always for cooperation he was a member of the 
Indian Hill Orange Growers Association, then the San Dimas Citrus 
L nion, and later the San Dimas Orange Cirowers Association, of 
which he «as a director until he sold his ranch, when he resigned. 

In February, 1S8,3, Mr. Ferry was married to Miss Catherine 
McGlanchey, the ceremony taking place in Sherbrooke, Canada, and 
eight children have blessed the union, ti\e of whom are li\'ing. Annie 
has become Mrs. Cornelius Thomas; Winifred is Sister Mary Fausta 
in the convent at Oakland; Agnes is at home; William served in 
the American Army in France; and Hugh James was chief yeoman in 
the United States Na\y. The family attend the Roman Catholic 
Church, an(,l Mr. lerry is a member of the Knights of Columbus. 



FRED E. WHYTE 

Interwo\en with the history of Pomona ^'alley is the history of 
the men v\ho have gi\en of their best efforts to make it reach its present 
wonderful state of development. It is a record of commercial, indus- 
trial and educational achievement, and the highly important part 
played by these public-spirited men cannot be too fully praised when 
preparing the annals of this section of the state; as a writer says. 
"Biography is the only true history." Among such men whose vigor- 
ous activities have aided in the growth of the \'alley may be mentioned 
Fred E. Whyte, former president of the Pomona Chamber of Com- 
merce. 

Mr. Whyte is a native of Canada, born May 31, 1S77, in Strath- 
roy, a son of Edward A. and Mary Ann (Bowles) Whyte. There 
were twelve children in the family, and Fred I{. was the fourth child 
born to his parents. He was educated in the schools of his native 
town, and in the school of experience, as were so many of our ablest 
men. When a boy of sixteen he worked in a hardware store, remain- 
ing so employed for seven years. 

At the end of his first business venture in Canada. Mr. Whyte de- 
citled to seek new fields, and journeyed to California. First locating at 



iilSToRV AM) i;l< iCKAl'IIN i''":- 

Ontario, he there gained his tirst experience in the launJry business 
with Lorbeer Urothers, operating under the tirm name ot the Ontario 
Laundry Company. On January 2i, 1908, Mr. Whyte became a mem- 
ber of the tirm. at which time the business was incorporated, and he 
remained until 1911. In that year. J. Lee and Robert Cathcart. Ld- 
ward .\L Doyle and .Mr. Whyte purchased the Lorbeer interests in the 
San Bernardino Steam Laundry, the Ontario Laundry Company and 
the Pomona Steam Laundry, then .Mr. Whyte came to I'cjmona as 
vice-president and manager of the Pomona Sanitary Laundry, which 
concern was owned by the Cathcart Brothers and .Mr. Doyle, and also 
as general manager of the other plants. He remained in that position 
until September 1, 1919, when Mr. Whyte and his associates formed 
the Southern Service Company, taking over some fifteen laundries in 
Southern California, which they own and operate, .Mr. Whyte being 
vice-president and general manager of the new corporation. In the 
local plant at Pomona seventy people are employed and it has been a 
success from its first establishment. 

The marriage of Mr. Whyte. on June 9. 1903, united him with 
.Miss Charlotte Leach, of Ontario, and one son, James (jordon, has 
been born to them. The family attend the Pilgrim Congregational 
Church. Fraternally, .Mr. Whyte is a member of the .Masonic order 
and is a Shriner. As president of the Chamber of Commerce he devot- 
ed much time to the business interests of the N'alley wir'i lis tellow- 
workers, keeping the community abreast of the times uters 

pertaining to the welfare and best interests of the Valley as a whole. 



JOHN C. GAPP 

An orange grower in the La Verne district for the past twelve 
years, John C. Gapp has given of his time and study to this branch of 
advancement in the Pomona Valley. Born in Dane County, Wis., 
August 16. 1860, he was the youngest of rive children his parents gave 
to the development of their adopted land. Antone and Agatha Gapp. 
they came from the foreign shores in 1849, and were pioneers of the 
timber lands of Wisconsin. From there they journeyed to Nebraska 
in 1870, continuing their pioneer labors in that state, and there both 
parents passed to their reward. 

John C. Gapp was educated in the rural schools of his early en- 
\ironment. and also gained knowledge in the school of experience, and 
with his brothers helped the father on their pioneer farms. He later 
came west to Salem, S. D., and engaged in the grain busmcss there 
for eighteen years, a period covering rapid development in the Da- 
kotas, in which Mr. Gapp took an active part and met with deserved 
success. 

In the fall of 1908 he came to California and settled in Pomona, 
since which year he has devoted his time exclusively to his orange 



65(1 II1S■|'()1^^" AXI) r.K )C,K AIM W 

groves, with the characteristic concentration which iiiatle for success in 
his earlier business ventures. 

The marriage of Mr. Gapp, occurring January 1 1. 1888, united 
him with Miss Adelia M. Rand, and three children were horn to them: 
Hazel died at the age of twenty-six years; N^erner died at eight years, 
and Eben C, in business with his father, and who served his country in 
the United States Army for one year in the World War. 

Mr. Gapp has always shown his public spirit in local affairs, in 
politics placing man above party, and working for the general welfare. 
Fond of the great outdoors, he is a man of correspondingly broad and 
wholesome \iews and takes his recreation in hunting and fishing sports, 
braternally he is a member of the Masonic Loilge anil Knights lemp- 
lar, and in business circles of the Chamber of Commerce, and with his 
family attends the Methodist Church. 



• OKIN J. HALL 

Among the progressi\e citizens of the Pomona \'alley who have 
demonstrated their ability by success in the important field of dairying 
must be mentioned ()rin J. Hall, who was born In I. inn County, Iowa, 
on May 4, 1867, where he was educated in the common schools. At 
the early age of twelve he started to work for a living on his father's 
farm, and later still, during the years 1895-97, he rented land in Linn 
County and farmed for himself. Studying the latest and most scien- 
tific methods, and profiting steadily by his own experience, Mr. Hall 
soon came to that natural leadership among farmers and in the great 
work of mid-west agriculture that he was able not only to get the 
highest results as the reward of his own labor, but to point the wav 
to others, and lead them on to their success.' 

But Mr. Hall could not remain long busy in the ordinary fields 
of agricultural endeavor and so soon specialized, responding to a 
pressing demand of the times. He studied \eterinarv surgery ami 
for fifteen years practiced that science, to the alle\iation of animal 
pain and the ele\-ation of the standard of live stock. His headcjuar- 
ters were in Central City, Iowa, and from there he went for miles 
in answer to calls. His fame cxtemled, and he was kept busier and 
busier as the years went by. 

In 1911 NIr. Hall, attracted by the superior atl\ antages of Cali- 
fornia, came west to the Ciolden State and fortunately located at 
Pomona, where for four years he worked at various employments. In 
that year, having selected nine fine cows of mixed breed, he started 
his dairy on Last ?]nd Avenue, and now he has a herd of thirty-five 
cows, each of superior breed, housed in one of the most modern of 
farm buildings. There is, besides the sanitary barn, a large silo ami 
.1 roomy, spotless milk house; and as his test runs high — from 4 ' _• to 




O.L /^^. ?^i^ &j£^ y^^LU 



IIISTokV AXn lUoCRAl'IIV !,■?'> 

SVc — he is able to commaiui the highest price for his niilk, delivering 
to customers in Foniona ami shipping e\ en to Los Angeles. No pains 
are spared both to create and to maintain a \ ery high standard for 
this dairy, ami Pomona may well feel a pride in what Mr. I lall has 
accomplished in the tew years in which he has been a resident of this 
faxoreii part ot the state. 

At Central City. Iowa, November 25, 1890, Mr. Hail and Miss 
Ella 1-. Clark, a native of Central City, ami daughter of Cyril ami 
Francelia (Crane) Clark, were married; and five children have blessed 
their union. N'innie M. is the wife of John B. Madole. of Pomona, 
and the mother of a son. Dale; Othol D. assists his father in the dairy, 
and Beryl is the wife of Harry Taylor of Pomona. .\ tiaughter, 
Wilma Luella. died aged eight months, and Darrell Oswald met an 
accidental death when twelve years old. in 1918. The family attend 
the lirst Christian Church, in which Mrs. Hall is active as a church 
worker: .Mr. Hall belongs to the .Moiiern Woodmen ami the Oikl 
Fellows. 



BKRTKAM IKH 

An orange grower of Pomona \ alle\, ami a Californian by adop- 
tion, who reflects credit on his native country, is Bertram lich, among 
those distinguished for their loyalty to both the present interests and 
the future welfare ol the Cjolden State . He is a native ot Denmark. 
having been born at Svendborg, Island of Fyen, on August 18, 1852. 
He recei\ed the foumlations of a good education in the schools of that 
country, and in proof of this, he learned English in his nati\e laml. I lis 
father was a painter and interior decorator, and under his guidance he 
learned the decorator's trade. 

Arriving at the age of 18, Bertram \olunteercd in the navy, but 
was transferred to the infantry, which was not to his best interests, so, 
with the consent of his father, he left Denmark for America, and he ar- 
rived in New York on April 25, 1872. He was lucky to meet an old 
frieml of his father in Brooklyn, who induced him to stay there and 
take up his trade; and he soon secured a position with a contractor in 
painting, in whose service he remained for six years. Then he worked 
as a journeyman for a number of years, and finally he himself began 
to contract for extensive jobs. 

He set up as an interior ilecorator, and painted and ornamented 
fine homes, theaters and hotels in Brooklyn and New York; ami by 
employing as many as forty-tive men, made a fair amount of money, 
and was generally tieemed very successful. In 1899, however, the 
health of his daughter demanded a complete change of climate; ami 
he decided to come west and try California. 



660 HISTORY AXl) I'.IOCRAIM 1 V 

Locating at Pomona in 1900. he bought an orange grove' con- 
sisting of nine acres of four-year-old trees, in the Kingsley Tract on 
Washington A\cnuc, which lie inipro\ed and generally has been a tine 
producer. 

While in Brooklyn, Mr. Fich was married in 1882 to Miss 
Florence Norton, a New Yorker by birth, by whom he has had three 
children. Julictta has become the wife of Clarence Hawley, of 
Ventura County, now a successful fruit ancl walnut grower of Saticoy. 
He was a graduate of Stanford University and formerly a teacher 
of history in Pomona High School. Bertram, Jr., is with the Walk- 
Over Shoe Company of Los Angeles; and Edna is the wife of C. B. 
AfHerbaugh, the druggist, of Pomona. 

Since 1878 Mr. Fich has been an Odd F^ellow, having joined 
the Magnolia Lodge of Brooklyn, N. Y. He is also a member of 
Pomona Lodge No. 246, F. and A. NL, and Pomona Lodge No. 789, 
B. P. O. Elks. He is fond of hunting and fishing, being a true 
sportsman, and has a fine collection of California birds, stuffed by 
himself, and also mounted trout he has taken in Bear Lake. Much 
that Mr. Fich has accomplished might well serve as an example and 
an inspiration to American vouth. 



ARTHUR E. WATERS 

A progressive rancher whose prosperity is largely due to his 
highly intelligent industry and the application of the last word in 
science to the every-day problems of agriculture is Arthur E. Waters, 
who was born in Hendricks County, Ind., on February 28, 1 878, M'here 
he grew up on a farm. He received a good education in the local 
institutions and later taught in the high school at Salem, Ind., and at 
Orchard Lake, Mich., in a military academy. This experience in 
directing the minds of others improved his own mental capacity, and 
well prepared him for the responsibilities of life confronting him on 
his removal to the Coast. 

He arrived in Pomona in 1905, and for a while worked in the 
cannery of his uncle, George H. W^aters, and he has followed the fruit 
industry ever since. He owns a ranch of ninety acres in the Chino 
district, planted to apricots, peaches and apples; and he makes his 
home on West Philips Boule\ard, formerly his uncle's home ranch, 
which he bought. There he has six acres planted to walnuts, and he 
has one of the best-improved ranches of fiftv-three acres in the valley. 

Mr. Waters' marriage occurred in 1906, at Pomona, when he 
was united to Miss }ivz Mosher, a native of Kansas, and the daughter 
of Ezra D. Mosher. He was a prominent farmer in the \icinitv of 
Emporia, Kans., who came to Pomona in 1893 with his wife and 
thirteen chihlrcn, anil bought fifty acres of lanti south of the town. 



iiisn >k^ AND iiiocKAi'in' < i 

which he plaiitcii to nltalfa. Later he built a home in I'oiiiona, lor 
he was a carpenter hv traile, at the corner of I'alomares and Mast I lolt 
avenues. The taniiiy, which attended tlie I'irsf Christian Church, 
inchides Dr. ( ieorge Mosher, D. D. S., now en^ayeii in missionary 
work in the Congo, in Africa; John Mosher, a teacher in the hi^^li 
school; Frank Mosher. an ensij^n in the L'. S. Na\y during; the war; 
five daufjhters li\ ing in Pomona — Mrs. Charles Carter, .Mrs. I,. 
.Morgan, .Mrs. J. S. Ridille. .Mrs. \V. Cladman and .Mrs. .\. 1 .. 
Waters. Another daughter. Mrs. A. A. Roach, lives at Los Angeles, 
while two daughters li\e at (ilendale — Mrs. J. McBride and Miss 
J'.lla Mosher, who is with her mother there. 

I'.ight children were born to .Mr. ami .Mrs. Waters, six li\ing — 
Harriett, Lucile, Doris, Arthur Clay, Helen and I'aul Woodrow 
Waters: George Howard and Muriel died in inl'-incy. I he family 
attends the First Christian Church, in which .Mr. Waters took his 
uncle's place as leader of the choir. 



BIRNARD Ci. STKINRLCK 

Anv man is entitled to a pride in his achiexements when through 
his own efforts and ambition he has advanced from the bottom round 
of the ladder to a position of authority and trust. One of these 
in Pomona is Bernard G. Steinruck, district superintendent of the 
Southern Counties (ias Company. B. G. Steinruck was born in 
Burlington, N. V.. November 1. 1881 ; when nine years old he moved 
to Pueblo, Colo., and there attended the grammar and high schools, 
finishing with a course in civil engineering. He became associated 
with the engineering department of the Colorado Fuel and Iron 
Company, at Pueblo, remaining there until 1905. when he came to 
California, first locating in Los Angeles, and was with the Baker Iron 
Works there for a short period. 

In 1910, Mr. Steinruck moved to Monrovia and there entered 
the employ of the Southern Counties Gas Company, starting at the 
very bottom with a pick and shovel. In 1917 he came to Pomona as 
assistant district superintendent, and on March 3, 1919. became dis- 
trict superintendent of the company, a rapid advance and one which 
onlv ability and devotion to his employer's interests could bring to 
pass. 

With most of his efforts devoted to the business under his man- 
agement. Mr. Steinruck finds time to take part in the social life of the 
community, to which he brings the same enthusiasm and genuine quali- 
ties that he has shown in his business career. He is a member of Po- 
mona Lodge No. 789, B. P. ( ). 1 Iks. of the Knights o\ Pythias, No. 
107, and the Woodmen of the World, No. 722, and is a popular figure 
with his associates in a community where sterling qualities of mind and 



662 lllSTi )\<\ WD nil )C.R.\I'IIV 

heart arc more thought of tlian In most. Mr. Stcinruck is a menihcr of 
the Episcopal Church; while in Puehlo he was a singer in the choir of 
the Holy Trinity Church, ami while a resident of Monro\ ia he was 
vestryman of the ]"'piscopal Church of that town. 

The marriage of Mr. Steinruck united him with Elsie P. Tucker, 
a nati\e of CJhio, and two sons ha\e blessetl their union, \ed and Lyle, 
both born in California. 



JOHN (). SHEWMAX 

An e\-er alert and experienced fire chief of whom any town might 
well be proud is John O. Shewman, head of the Pomona Fire Depart- 
ment. He was born at Petrolia, in Ontario, Canada, on October 28, 
1872, the son of Carlton M. Shewman, a nati\e of Canada, who had 
married }-',li/.abeth Harrison and brought his family to Pomona in 
1884, when he bought an orange gro\e of ten acres on White A\-enue, 
commencing there at the height of the famous boom in land. He was 
really a California pioneer, for he had xisited the Ciolden State for the 
first time in 185U, when he tried his luck at mining, later returning east 
by way of the Horn. 1 le came here, in fact, a second time, tra\'eling 
by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and once more returning home. 
After his third trip, he remaineti, and in time tolloweel the nursery 
business in Pomona \'alley, where he made a specialty of walnut trees. 
After an acti\e and useful career, he died in 191 6. 

John followed the shoe business in Canada, ami when he came to 
California engaged In printing with his brother, opening a shop at Los 
Angeles. Returning to Pomona, he \\-orked for the A. S. Ax'ery Shoe 
Company; but ha\ing seen tour years of ser\Ice In the Los Angeles 
Fire Department undei- Walter Moore, he early entered on his 
twenty-ri\e years as a member of the \'olunteer Firemen, and so It 
was natural enough that, in 1916, he should be appointed tire chief of 
Pomona. Since taking oHice, he has ne\er failed to pro\e his efficiency 
and supreme fitness for the responsibility reposed In him. 

A stirring incident in the histor\ of the department well illus- 
trates this. A carload of cotton from the Imperhil \'alley, some of the 
bales of which had e\idently been tampered with and "k)aded" with 
phosphorus, took fire in the night of January 16, 1918, on Its way west, 
near Colton, and after it had been rushed to Pomona, and sidetracked 
here, the Pomona Fire Department tackled the job and In two hours 
had the flames under such control that only $175 worth of damage was 
done, although car and cargo were valued at $7,500. So well was the 
matter handled that Popular Mccluniii s Illustratcil the story In a 
special article. 

The Pomona I- ire Department, now so fortunate In Its leader- 
shlj), was organized in 1884 In the creation of Hose Company No. 1, 



I1IST< )KV AND I'.K )C,k.\|'ll\' " .^^ 

whicli li;ul a cart, iKiiid-drawii, and sonic 75U feet ol' li()>c, two inches 
in diameter. A lire district was formed, a special tax le\ied, and ap- 
paratus boufrht and a tire house built. In 1889 a hook and ladder 
company was formed. In 1892, another reel and more hose was 
houjfht and a companv orfranized from among the members of the 
Tomona City Ciuards. In 1895 a Holloway Chemical I'.ngine was 
purchased, having a thirty-live double-gallon tank, and in 189> the 
departMK-nt was reorganized under the statutes of California. In 1 90.^ 
seventy-li\e xolunteer men were in the department, ami no company 
of volunteer liremen in the state made a better showing both on dress 
occasions and when the huklies got down to the real work for which 
they were organized. In 1914 an .\merican La I'rance combination 
hose and pump was bought and two years later a Morelaml city service 
truck. In October, 1918, a new Brockway combination hose and 
chemical engine and 1,000 feet of hose were added. .\t this writing, 
in 1919, there are live paiil men, consisting of three drivers, a mechanic 
and a tire chief; and tifteen call men, with a tirst and second assistant 
chief and a secretary; and live hundred feet of new iiose have been 
added, making it in many ways one of the best-e(]uipped departments 
of the size on the Coast. 

At Pomona on Mav 6, 1894, Mr. Shewman was marrieil to Lena 
Larlc, a native of .Missouri and the daughter of 1". 11. and Lllen 
Larle. She died in 1907, the mother of eight children. Carl is in 
San Diego; IVank is a member of the Eighth United States Infantry 
and is now in France; Harry and William are at school; ami there arc 
Ellen, Bessie, Lena and Maude. 

Mr. Shewman belongs to Lodge No. 246 of the Odd I'ellows, 
both the I'.ncampment and the Subordinate Lodge, the Woodmen of 
the World and the Maccabees, in which he has reached all the chairs. 
He attended the (irand Lodge the last two sessions and thus worthily 
represented both his order and his town. 



JOHN (J. ROBERTSON 

In the growth of the moilern civilization it is the boy reared on 
the farm that gives new impetus and furnishes the enthusiasm and vim 
necessary to the successful business lite of our cities. 

John G. Robertson was born in Delaware County. N. Y., October 
4, 1845. At the age of fourteen, like many another youth, he wended 
his course toward the great metropolis of our country. New ^ ork City. 
Later he located at Belle Plainc, Benton County, Iowa, where he was 
engaged in a general stf)re. He was prominent in the civic lite of the 
place, served as city trustee, was trustee of the Congregational Church 
in that city, and for ten years was a member of the Belle Plaine lire 
department. He came to Pomona for his health November 30, 1890. 



f/A IllS■r()R^■ AX I) i;i: )C.KA1'11V 

The Packarii Orange (iro\e Tract was then being set out and he pur- 
chased nine and one-halt' acres in this tract, fiv.e acres of which had just 
been set out to trees by Mr. j. I'. I'ackard. The remainder of the 
property Mr. Robertson set out himself. Forty men were employed 
in grading, laying out and jilanting the Packard Tract and their camp 
was located opposite Mr. Robertson's ranch. In the early days part 
of the ranch was in deciduous fruits, later these trees were taken out 
and orange trees planteil. Mr. Robertson's ranch is a fine producer, 
both as to quality and (juantity of fruit, and bespeaks the gooil care 
bestowed upon it. 

He married a nati\e of the Pine Tree State, Miss Louisa Wass, 
who was born in Machias, Maine. Of their three children, Helen L. 
is at home; George W. of the United States Navy served on the 
steamship Nevada during the World War; and Jane C. is a teacher 
at Glendale, Cal. 

Mr. Robertson is a charter member of the Pomona I-ruit Growers 
Exchange, was one of the first men to sign up to the association and 
was a director for many years in the institution. He was director in 
the Packard Orange Grove Water Company. In his religious convic- 
tions he is a member of the Congregational Church, and fraternally is 
a charter member of Pomona Lodge No. 246, F. & A. NF; also be- 
longs to the Chapter and Commandery in Pomona, and to the Modern 
Woodmen of America. Both he and his wife are charter members of 
the Pomological Club of Claremont and Mrs. Robertson and daughter 
Helen are prominent members of the Woman's Club and of the Order 
of Eastern Star at Pomona. 



EDWARD MYRON WHEELER 

Among the representati\es of California who are natives of the 
(ireen Mountain State is numbered Edward Myron Wheeler, the able 
manager of the San Dimas Orange Cirowers Association. He was 
born May 7, 1872, in South Hero, Grand Isle County, ^'t., and is the 
son of Henry O. and Elizabeth (Martin) Wheeler, natives, respec- 
tively, of Vermont and New York. The father was educated at the 
University of Vermont and while there the Civil War broke out and 
he enlisted as a private in the First \'ermont Cavalry, rising to the 
rank of captain in the same regiment. At the Battle of the Wilderness 
he was sexerely wounded, taken prisoner and sent to Libby prison, 
afterwards being exchanged and returned to his command. After the 
war was over he completed his college and law course and practiced 
his profession. In addition to being an attorney, he was superin- 
tendent of schools at Burlington, Vt., until 191.3, when he removed to 
San Dimas, Cal., where he resided until his demise in 1918. His 
widow sur\i\es him, still making her home at San Dimas. 



IllSTokV AM) r.loC.RAI'in' r^.5 

In a lainily of li\c boys. lulwarJ Myron is tlic oKlcst chllil. 1 Ic 
received his ciiucation in the graiiiniar and high schools ol Burlington, 
\'t., and then spent one and a half years in the University of N'ermont, 
and in 1892 came to San Dimas, Cal., where he engagei.1 in citrus grow- 
ing for a nuniher of years, lie then hecanie associateil with the San 
Dimas Water Company in the capacity of manager, remaining with the 
company seven years, from 1898 to 1905. He was next in business 
at i-ong Beach for one year, when he removeil to Tulare County, 
where he followed orange growing tor a penoil ot four years, after 
which he returneil to San Dimas and became manager ot the San Dimas 
Orange Cirowers Association in 1910. 

In San Dimas, on .May 17, 19(1(1, Mr. Wheeler was married to 
Mrs. Susie C. Bowiien, born in .Arkansas, of whom he was bereaved 
in 1917, lea\ing two liaughters, I'^li/abeth ami Zoe Louise. 

In national politics Mr. Wheeler faxors the principles of the Re- 
publican party. Fraternally he was made a Mason in San Dimas 
Lodge, !■". & A. M. Although still on the sunny side of life's prime 
he has achieved a substantial position financially and socially in the 
community and is adding prestige to an honoreti family name. He 
gives iiis influence and actixe cooperation to all worthy objects, is deep- 
ly interested in the citrus imlustry and the general tlevclopment of this 
section of Southern California. 



DAN'ID C. W. PORII R 

How many and interesting are the links between the ()ld World 
and the New, especially, perhaps, between America and Scotlaml, is 
shown in the life story of David C. W. Porter and his family connec- 
tions. He came to Pomona \'alley at the beginning of the new century, 
and he has since become one of the well-known ranchers. 

I le was born in London, Ont., Canada, on .March 12, 1 872, a son 
of John and Margaret (.Mc.Mahan) Porter, naturalized American 
citizens, and there grew up amid surroundings calculated to develop 
the best that was in the lad. His education was obtained in Canada 
ami the L nited States. L rged on, however, by a wandering disposi- 
tion, he set out on an extensive tour of the States, and finally arrived at 
Colton. Cal.. in 1901. I"or three years he was foreman of the Cali- 
fornia Portland Cement Company of Colton. but in 1906 he remo\ed 
to Spadra and became superintendent of the F. L. Spalding Rock and 
Ciravel Quarry. During the buikling of the highways in Los Angeles 
County in 1910. 1911. 1912 and 191.^ a large quantity of the rock 
came from the Spadra quarry. 

Fn the fall of 1918, Mr. Porter settled on his home ranch on West 
Holt A\enue. near L'nion. taking charge of a five-acre orange grove 
formerly owned by his wife's father, James Young. Umler his skilful 



606 ilIS'l'( )\<\ A\l) r.K X'.KAl'lIN' 

direction this rancli has become more than e\er a good producer, yield- 
ing in 1919 not less than 2,500 boxes. Mr. Porter is a well-known 
Mason, and belongs to Pomona lotlge, chapter and council. 

On August 16, 1911, Mr. Porter was married to Violet Young, 
a native of Scotland, antl the daughter of James Young, now deceased, 
who was horn in Brechin, in that same country, and died at Pomona 
on I'ebruary 25, 1918. lie married luiphemia Russell, a native of 
Giamis, Scotland, by whom he had eight chiltiren, li\-e of them still 
li\-ing. James Russell li\es at Pomona; Da\-id is at Dundee, Scotland; 
William is in Edinburgh; Victor is at Pomona, and Violet is Mrs. 
Porter. " For forty years James Young was employed in the jute mills 
at Dundee, Scotland, starting m as an oilci- and rising to be foreman 
of the plant; but with his wife and children he sailed from Scotland on 
April 17, 1907, ami on the same date, eight years later, Mrs. Young 
died at Pomona. On coming to Pomona on June 22, 1907, he bought 
an orange gro\e of hve acres on West Holt Avenue, which he im- 
proved, making of it a line home place. He also came to be a man of 
atiairs, and was a directcn- in the ( )range Gro\e Tract Water Company. 

Mr. and Mi^s. P(n-ter ha\e two chililren, James Alexander and 
|ohn Russell. 



MISS ALICE B. RING 

An artist of recognized ability both in Europe and the United 
States, Miss Alice B. Ring, whose studio is located at 225 East Pasa- 
dena Street, Pomona, Cal., is a nati\e of Hampden County, Mass. 
Her education was ac(]uired in the public schools of her nati\-e state and 
supplemented with a course in that time-honored institution, Oberlin 
College, at Oberlin, Ohio, from which she graduated. She then be- 
came an art student at the Art Stutlent's League in New York City and 
from there went to that artists' Mecca, Paris, where she studied under 
such famous masters as Julien Dupre, Benjamin Constant and Jean 
Paul Laurens. She also studied miniature painting in I'aris with 
Madame Marie Laforge. She maintained a studio in Paris and her 
pictLUx-s in oil were exhibited in the Paris salon se\eral seasons, and 
also at smaller exhibitions in France. 

Returning to her nati\-e coimtry, she located at Cle\eland, Ohio, 
where she hatl a studio for a number of years and where she also ex- 
hibited her paintings. Her pictures were on exhibition at the Panama- 
Pacific Liternational Exposition at San Francisco in 1915. She visited 
Pomona in January, 1913, and ever since has passed her winters in this 
delightful winter resort, where she maintains a fine studio. 

In this age of idealism almost every artist originates a style of 
his own and the correctness or incorrectness of it is very much de- 
jiemient upon whether it pleases or not. .Miss Ring is an artist of 



1IIST( )KV AND I'.KM'.kAl'llV <.'.'» 

unqiicstioiKil uclinlcal ability, arul lur lolty conceptions arc worthy of 
the ideas thev eniboJv in their beauty ot form ami color. ,\s an artist 
she has met with iiescr\ed success among those who appreciate art tor 
art's sake. During her sojourn abroail she visited Ilollanii, and her 
out-of-iioor scenes in that picturesque country, especially the sunlight 
effects, are exceptionally line, the perspective and atmospheric eftects 
being especially well rendered. She is a member ot the Woman's Art 
Club and College Club of Cleveland, Ohio, and also a member of the 
Art Club of Paris, and has ser\ed on se\ era! art committees. She is a 
member of the I'.bell ami Shakespeare Clubs at I'omona and the Po- 
mona \'alley College Club, and has made a place for herself in the 
affectionate regard of her large circle of friemis ami acquaintances. 



HARRY AM) .MARll. A. HANSON 

An up-to-date, enterprising couple who ha\e accomplished much 
in the field of business in which they have embarked, that of high-class 
undertaking, are Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hanson, whose establishment 
is at 415 North Cjarey Avenue ami may well be regarded as one of 
the creditable institutions in the city. Mrs. Hanson's maiden name was 
Marie A. Moyer, and she was born in San I- rancisco, a member of a 
French pioneer family. 

At the age of fifteen she started to learn undertaking with J. 1". 
Jory of Stockton and Oakland; and in 1900 she married .Mr. I lanson. 
He was born at I'lemington, N. J., on August 17, 1874, and attemied 
school in New Jersey until he was fifteen, when he left home and 
became a rover. In 1893 he arrived on the Pacific Coast, and for 
many years he followed the sea, signing up with sailing vessels, going 
to Japan and even taking a voyage of nineteen months to the Arctic 
Ocean, where he wintered on Hirschel Island, in latitude 74. His 
father was an undertaker in New Jersey, and he haei learned the busi- 
ness from him. He also went to Clark's School of F.mbalming 
in Newark, N. J. 

After their marriage, .Mr. and .Mrs. Hanson settled for a while 
in Prescott, Ariz., where he was with the Fairbanks-Morse Cias Fngine 
Company. In 1910, however, they came to Pomona and bought out 
the Justin F",. Patterson Umiertaking Parlors on Fast Secomi Street, 
and when the business grew, they moved to their present location. 
There they have remodelcti the house, crecteil a chapel ami garage, 
and now have one of the most modern establishments in the X'allev. 
They enjoy a gooii patronage because, lirst, of their superior service, 
and then of the appreciation of the public they seek to serve and please. 
Their equipment includes an ambulance, a hearse, a casket wagon, and 
two touring motor vehicles. Ihey also conduct a branch parlor at 
Chino. Mrs. Hanson personally embalms all women ami children. 



670 HISTORY A\l) UK )C.kAI'IIV 

Both Mr. and .Mrs. Hanson enjoy that ciniabk- good-wiU ainl 
esteem of their feUow-citizens that always results from a reputation tor 
public spiritedness and a willingness to "boost" the home locality. 
Mrs. Hanson is a member of the Ebell Club and the Woman's Relief 
Corps, as well as the Rebekahs, while Mr. Hanson belongs to Lodge 
No. 789 of the Elks, the Woodmen of the World and the Odd Fel- 
lows, being affiliated with Lodge No. 246. Mrs. Hanson is an expert 
in art embroidery and in millinery, having been an instructor in those 
branches in the New York Young Women's Christian Association, 
and may ahvays be found favoring any art movement for the com- 
munitv. Husband and wife thus do what they can to promote ci\ic 
life in Pomona, and are active in social life. 



FRANK B. POR'ri'.R 

In view of the fact that California heads the list of states tor the 
large number of its automobiles, and that there is hardly a family these 
days that does not manage to ha\e some make of auto, it is not strange 
that the rubber tire business is a profitable and growing industry. 

The proprietor of the Pomona Tire Company, iVIr. TVank B. 
Porter, with headquarters at 421 West Second Street, Pomona, Cal., 
has had twenty-three years of practical experience in the rubber indus- 
try, and is thoroughly conversant with the business in all of its \arious 
branches and an expert in his special line. He was born at Waterbury, 
Conn., bebruary 16, 1879, and receixed a good education in the public 
schools of his natise state, which he attentled until he was fourteen 
years of age, when he started to fight the battle of life on his own 
behalf. 

At se\enteen he entered the employ of the Goodyear Maniifac- 
turing Company of Naugatuck, Conn., and engaged in making rubber 
boots and shoes. He was next employed at Hartford, Conn., by the 
Hartford Rubber Works in building auto and bicycle tires, and after 
six years in their employ he went to the Cleveland, Ohio, branch of 
the Fisk Rubber Company, where he engaged in the same line of work. 
From Cleveland he went to the Cincinnati. Ohio, branch of the same 
company, and in 1912 came to Pomona, Cal., where he organized the 
Pomona Tire Company, of which he is sole owner. Since 1913 he has 
been the wholesale and retail distributor of the Diamond tires in 
Pomona ^'alley. All the Diamond tires sold in the Valley pass through 
his office, and he does the largest business and is the largest individual 
tire ilealer in the Valley. He also does \ulcanizing and carries a line 
of auto accessories. 

In his domestic relations he was united in marriage with Emilv 
Knoti, a native of Germany, who came to America at the age of thir- 
teen. Three sons ha\-e been born of their union, Russell, Donald and 
Earl. 



iiis'r< )K^■ AND r.K h'-rai'iin' > n 

'l"hc prominent position Mr. I'ortcr has attained in the idnimcrcial 
life of Pomona X'allcy is due to his sounti inisin.ss iiulgment ami the 
habit of extensive ad\crtisin«. He has found by experience that 
advertising pays and is a conspicuously successful example ot the man 
who pursues that course in his business policy. Iraternally he is a 
member of the Knij^hts of Pythias and a Yeoman. 



1 K.WK M. SHIRK. M.n. 

1 lappy in the attainment of a \vell-deser\ eil position ot honor and 
influence among the medical fraternity of Pomona N'alley. Dr. Irank 
M. Shirk, the untiring scientist of I.a N'erne, may well claim a share of 
the credit due to, and ungrudgingly given, the meilical fraternity of 
this section for having made one of the most charming [jortions of 
California more than ordinarily attractive as a place of residence and 
longevity. He was born in Grundy County, Iowa, on July 5, 1871. 
and grew up on a farm, while he attended the county schools. Later, 
carrying out his desire for a higher education, he graduated from the 
Central Medical College at St. Joseph, Mo., finishing his studies there 
in 1896 with the degree of .NJ.D., and later he took post-graduate 
courses in the eye, ear, nose and throat at the Chicago Lye, Kar, Nose 
and 'I'hroat College, and after that additional post-graduate research at 
the l-'clectic Medical College at Los Angeles. 

Beginning his practice, he served the community of Lincohniile, 
Kans. While li\ ing there, in 19(10, he was married to Zuletta Ryan, 
a native of Alva, Cass County, Nebr., and they have five children: 
Paulina and Lola, both attending La X'erne College; Miriam, Chester 
and Maurice. After practicing in Lincohniile for four and a hall 
years he removed to Lost Springs, In the same state, where he prac- 
ticed for eleven vears. While there, he was appointed by the county 
a special physician for the indigent, and so, in aiklition to his normal 
practice, was able to accomplish much good for those of suffering 
humanitv who could not command the means to be otherwise helped. 
In 1911, he came to California and passed the required examinations 
set by the state board; and in 1914 he commenced to practice at La 
\'erne. 

Since 1916 Doctor Shirk has been the breeder of registered, high- 
grade Toggenburg milk goats. I lis stock is known as " The Sunkist 
Slilk Goat Herd." and at the present writing he has ten head of regis- 
tered and several unregistereil goats. He buys or sells for anvone ile- 
siring to dispose of or purchase any class of goats or kids. At his 
exhibit at the Milk Goat Show in Pomona he took first prizes on Sun- 
kist Jessie and Sunkist Munson and second on Sunkist Shodybar anil 
Sunkist Leia. He was one of the organizers and is now \ice-president 
of the board of directors of the Citrus Belt .Milk (mat .\ssociation of 



(\72 IIIS'|■()R^■ A.\D nil )('.R.\1'ITV 

Southern California, for his study of goats and experience haxe made 
him an authority on the subject. He advocates in particular the use of 
goat's milk, on the ground that it is far superior in richness to that of 
cows, and that it is more easily digested, requiring only one-third of 
the time, and not causing constipation; while it is next to mother's milk 
for the raising of infants with weak stomachs. Goats are also much 
freer from tuberculosis than are cows, and that is a reason of the 
greatest importance for preferring the one milk to the other. 

California has more milk goats than any other eight states to- 
gether, and Southern California leads the state. The first goats of 
this class were imported into New York, and San Diego was the first 
to start the industry in California. There are three breeds of milk 
goats, the Toggenburg, the Saanen — a pure-white in color, imported 
from Switzerland — and the Anglo-Xubian, imported from Nubia to 
England, and mixed with the nati\-e Elnglish goat, giving it the above 
name. There are at present several hundred of these in the Pomona 
Valley alone, and some produce eight quarts of milk daily. Indeed, 
experiments ha\"e been made showing that eight goats will give twice 
as much milk and cost no more than one cow, so that a gallon of goat's 
milk can be produced at approximately eight cents. Compared with 
cow's milk, that of goats is richer in fats and sugar by about one per 
cent. Goats are \ery docile and like to be patted, on which account it 
is plain that rough handling makes them timid and ner\ous, and that 
their milk is less valuable, and may even be harmful to an infant under 
those conditions. 

The object of the Citrus Belt Milk Goat Association of Southern 
California is the social and mutual benefit of its members, and the in- 
telligent advancement of the milk goat industry along practical, hy- 
gienic and scientific lines. It aims to disseminate information as to the 
economic \-alue of goat products, such as milk, cheese, meat, butter and 
hides, and so aid in the great work of conserxing for the welfare of the 
commonwealth. 



JAMES G. FERRELL 

The recognition of the growth of Pomona by the work! at large 
appears \-ery plainly in the advent in that city of such enterprises as 
the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York City, with offices at 
No. 247 Investment Building. The district agent for this important 
company is James G. Ferrell, who has been engaged in the insurance 
business for the past twelve years. 

He is a nati\'e of Illinois, born on a farm in Alacon County, 
No\ember 2, 1880. He was reared on the farm, attended the country 
schools and was thrown on his own resources at the tender age of 
thirteen. His first business experience was as tra\eling salesman for 
two years. He spent two years in Webster City, Iowa, and engaged 



IllSToRV AND r.KK'.RAl'in' iv.> 

with the MctropulitaM Lite Insurance Cumpany at l.ns An^clcs in 
'\1i)9. Coming to Pomona in HU), he organi/eil a force of eight men 
to solicit for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, became local 
agent for the company ami built up a large business, his agency be- 
coming among the most popular in the local fielil. March 6, 1910. he 
became tiistrict agent for the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New- 
York, and his district includes the Riverside and San Bernardino liis- 
tricts of Pomona N'alley. He is also agent for the (ieneral Accitlent 
Company of Scotland, and the (icrard Fire Insurance Company ot 
I'hiladelphia. lie represents the oldest and strongest companies in 
the world in the field of life, fire, health and accident, and each year 
shows substantial gains in the cash income, assets, reserve fuml, etc., of 
the agencies untler his efficient management. 

His marriage united him with Miss Blanche A. McBee ot In- 
iliana, and the children resulting from their union are: Raymoiui. 
Harold W. and Marion Rosalind. He has recently purchasetl a tine 
home at 380 Kenoak Drive, one of the attractive residences pictured 
in the Pomona Chamber of Commerce literature. He is a live wire antl 
a valuable addition to the business interests of Pomona. Fraternally 
he affiliates with the Loyal Ortler of Moose at Pomona, and is dictator 
of that society: his fraternal relations being further extended to associa- 
tion with the Pomona Lodge of Knights of Pythias. He is also a 
member of the Chamber of Commerce. 



AM/A S. SWANK 

i he foreman of the orange packing house of the La \'erne 
Orange Association, at La \'erne, Cal.. Amzi S. Swank, was born at 
North Manchester, Wabash County, Tnd., April 14, 1887. He was 
reared on the farm and educated in the public schof)ls, ami additionally 
had the benefit of the North Manchester High School. L'p to the 
time of his marriage he was engaged in the occupation ot farming; 
he then entered the employ of the Beyer Brothers I'roiiuce Company, 
one of the largest wholesale and commission houses in the state, anti 
traveled for them as buyer. 

In the year 1910 Mr. Swank came to Pomona \'alley. Cal., 
and began working for the packing house of the La \'erne Orange 
Association. Later, when the College Heights Orange ami Lemon 
Association at Claremont established their lemon packing plant, he 
accepteii a position as foreman of the plant. After two years he 
returned to La Verne, and since October, 1918, has been foreman of 
the Orange packing house of the La \'arne Orange Association. 

His marriage united him with Erba F. Fisher, a native ot 
Packertown, Ind.. and they are the parents of a son, Richard, who is 
five years old. 



674 I1IST( )\<y A\l) I'.I X'.RAI'IIV 

B. LILLIAN SMITH. \LD., D.O. 

Only a few persons fully appreciate the patience, the weight of 
care and anxiety, and the hea\y responsibility which attend the life of 
the conscientious physician. Dr. B. Lillian Smith, of this review, an 
osteopathic physician of unusual ability, with offices in the Investment 
Building at Pomona, is a nati\e daughter, ha\ing been born on her 
father's ranch at Cucamonga, San Bernardino County. 

Her father, l-'rancis G. Smith, now deceased, was a native of the 
state of Maine, and when a young man came to San Francisco, Cal. 
In 1880, he located at Cucamonga, where he followed ranching until 
his death in 1904. Her mother, in maidenhood, was Anna Mussel- 
man, a nati\e of Canada and a daughter of Dr. Samuel Musselman, 
a California pioneer and the first resident dentist to practice in Po- 
mona, ha\ing located there as early as 1 878. He passed a\\'ay in 1 886. 

B. Lillian Smith attended Occidental College, is a graduate of Los 
Angeles Osteopathic College of Physicians and Surgeons, and of the 
Medical Department of the University of Southern California at Los 
Angeles. She has successfully passed the state board examinations in 
materia medica ami surgery, also in osteopathy, and in her practice 
skilfully applies both sciences. For three years she practiced osteop- 
athy in Los Angeles and in 1917 located in Pomona, where she is build- 
ing up a lucrati\e practice. 1 he science of surgery appeals most 
strongly to Doctor Smith and she fulfilled a cherished desire and took 
a post-graduate course in surgery under the famous Mayo Brothers, 
at Rochester, Minn., in 1919. Her sister. Dr. Alice Smith, of L^p- 
lands, also took the course at the same time. Doctor Smith is a mem- 
ber of the State Association of Osteopaths as well as of the State Asso- 
ciation of M.D.'s. Fraternally she is a Rehekah and a member of the 
Order of the Fastern Star. 



FRANK D. MOSHFR 

Ihough not a nati\e son of the Cjolden State, I-'rank D. Moshcr 
is as loyal to California as though he had been born here, and was onl\- 
ten years olil when he came to Pomona with his parents in 1894. He 
was born at Janesville, Wis., August 29, 1884, and is the son of 
Charles A. and Angeline (Jacobs) Mosher, both natives of the Badger 
State. The father, Charles A., was horn December 25, 1852, on a 
farm in (ireen County, and when a young man, in 1874, went to Hutch- 
inson County, S. D., where he engaged in farming for the succeeding" 
ten years. May 29, 1894, he came to Pomona, where he followed the 
occupation of fruit growing until he retired. His children are : Frank 
D., Ir\in, Mrs. Lottie Whitaker and Mrs. Marion I'uller. Mr. 
.Mosher is a member of the First Methodist Church. I lis sister, Mrs. 



IllSTokV A.\"l> l!IOGR.\riIV »')75 

Liay L. Dyer, who Jicil here some years ago, deeded to her brother's 
children six and one-halt acres ot valuable land on Monterey and 
Hamilton a\enues. 

Frank D. was educated in the Pomona schools, attended the liigh 
school from which he was graduated. 1-or a number of years he lol- 
lowed diversified farming on rented land in the Chino district. .\t 
present he is farming his father's ranch in Spadra district, and raises 
tomatoes, corn and barley. His home place at 1295 West .Monterey 
Street, in 1917 produced twenty tons of apricots from thirty-year-old 
trees — a record yield. He is a member of the Farm Bureau and takes 
an a'ctive interest in farming and horticulture as well as in everything 
pertaining to the interests of Pomona \'alley. He is wide-awake and 
a live wire in the community, where he is known as a man of ability 
and energv and is widely esteemed for his public spirit. In 1911 he 
married Miss OUie .McCain, born in Pomona, but living near Chino at 
the time of her marriage. I'hey are members of the First Methodist 
Church at Pomona. 



R.M.Pll I.. (.RAY 

Ihe enterprise and progressiveness of the citizens of I'omona are 
such as to demand the best in every line of business. The leading 
marble works in the Pomona Valley are situated at lifth Street and 
Garey Avenue, and the proprietor is Ralph F. Ciray. a young man of 
sound judgment and business acumen, who was born at .Mbia, Iowa, 
February 6, 1892. His memory of the East, however, is slight, as he 
was but four years of age when his father, Jacob F"., came from Iowa 
to Los Angeles, Cal., in 1897. Jacob E., a stonecutter, worked at his 
trade in Los Angeles until 1909, then removed to Pomona and pur- 
chased the granite and marble works of the Stone Brothers, pioneers in 
their line of business in Pomona, who established the plant thirty years 
ago. The business grew under Mr. (jray's management ami he was 
still engaged in it at the time of his death on November 17. 1918. 

His son, Ralph 1'., attended the public schools of Los .Angeles, 
and learned the stonecutter's trade with his father in Pomona. In 
1915 he leased a KlO-acre fruit ranch near .Auburn, Placer County, 
Cal., and after the demise of his father, came to Pomona and was his 
successor in the marble and granite works. 

He married .Miss (ilee Schroder, a native ot Iowa, wliose lather 
conducted the Schroder Drug Store at Pomona a number of years 
before his ileath. 

Ralph v.. is thoroughly familiar with e\ cry detail of the business 
and the requirements of the trade, and the fine class of work turneil 
out bv him is notable. Among the artistic moninnents we mention nar- 



676 iiiSTom' AXi) i',i; )C.K.\i'in' 

ticularly the one in memory of the late Peter Hoops, whieh was phicetl 
in I'omotia eemeterv, and which stands fifteen feet high and is sur- 
mouiiteei by a heaLitifiil Italian marble statue. 

L'nder the skilful and wise administration of Mr. Gray the busi- 
ness is prosperinif and making great growth. He enjoys the highest 
reputation for personal integrity, and the general pulilic knou' that they 
can rely on his work when they are in need of an\tliing substantial, 
durable and artistic in his line of busi-ness. 



JOHN H. HUNTER 

La N'erne's leading painting contractor and interior anil exterior 
decorator, John H. Hunter, was born in Wapello County, Iowa, on 
July 5, 1875. His father, Jonathan Hunter, was a nati\e of the Old 
Dominion state, remo\ing to Iowa when a boy, where he grew to 
manhood. There he married Sarah E. Schofield, a native of Ken- 
tucky. They were pioneer farmers, residing fifteen miles south of 
Ottumwa, where the father died in 1919, aged seventy-six years, his 
widow sur\i\ing him. Of the four children born to this worthy couple 
John is the second oldest. He was educated in the local public schools 
and the Southern Iowa Normal, at Bloomtield, and after receiving a 
teacher's certificate followed the \ocation of a pedagogue in Iowa 
and Oklahoma. In the latter state he also owneil and operated a 
farm. 

In 19l)l Mr. Hunter came to California and engaged in the 
li\ery business at La Verne, continuing the occupation for three years. 
He then located at Long Beach, where he was engaged in the real 
estate business for a year. He then became interested in the painting 
and decorating business and for a number of years has been bi'sily 
engaged in his field at La Verne and the surrounding cities with marked 
success. In his work Mr. Hunter uses the best material that can be 
obtained and maintains a shop in La \"erne, where he carries a full 
line of paints, wall paper, etc. The large number of his patrons in 
La Verne and the San Dimas district attest his skill as a workman of 
exceptional merit, with the ability to execute all kinds of high-clas'; 
work satisfactorily. One of the fine pieces of work he has recently 
completed is the artistic decoration of the beautiful new residence of 
Mrs. Catherine Trimmer on East Fourth Street, La Verne. He is the 
owner of real estate in La \'ernc, which inchules the apartment house 
at lis East Third Street. 

In La \'ernc, September 8, 191.^, Mr. HLUiter was united in mar- 
riage with I\y L. Martin, who was born in Sedgwick County, Kans. 
She came to La Verne when a child with her parents, John and Lizzie 
(Neher) Martin, natives of Muncie, Ind., who removed to Sedgwick 
County, Kans., where they were farmers until 1895. They then 




^^^^^ % %(Z-t^C^l^ 



HISTORY AND I'.lOGkAl'IlN' (7'» 

located at l.a N'crne, Cal., where they were owners and proprietor* 
of the College \'iew Hotel, being actively engaged in business until 
1919, when thev retired to enjoy the fruits of their labors. Mrs. 
Hunter received her education at La \'erne College. .Mr. and .Mrs. 
I lunter are the parents of one son, Stanley J. 



.\1)1 LHI'Kl" J. I'IRD'l 

Ihe up-to-(.late cit\ of I'oniona is fully abreast ol the times when 
it conies to educational matters. Its high school is well advanced in all 
lines of educational enileaxor, but especial mention is made ot the 
manual training department, under the supervision ol A. J. Pirdy, 
whose painstaking and persistent work has fostereii and dev elopeil this 
department to a stamianl of exceptional efficiency. 

It was in 1904 that .Mr. Pirdy inaugurated the teaching ol manual 
training in the grade schools of Pomona, both his facilities and equip- 
ment at that time being very limited. The work was started in a small 
shop conducteil in the basement of one of the school buililings and was 
equipped with a few haml tools. Under his able management the work 
has had a wonderful growth and today four shops are maintained as a 
part of the high school unit, in which are installed the latest machinery 
for cabinet making, woodworking, a fully eijuippeil machine shop and 
auto repairing department and forge; also a mechanical drafting de- 
partment. Ihe efficiency of Mr. Pirdy, as director ani.1 teacher of 
this verv important branch of eilucational work, is attested to by the 
fact that he has continued as the head ot this department for fifteen 
consecutive years. 

Adelbert J. Pirdy is a native of the Ilmpire State, having been 
born in Eric County, N. V., I-"ebruary 16, 1874. He is a graduate ot 
the Hamburg high school, Buffalo, X. Y.; and Buflalo State Normal 
school. He was principal of the city schools of North Tonawanda, 
X. Y., and for one year was associated with the Hancock Educational 
Center, Boston, .Mass. 

Believing that the Great West oftered better opportunities to 
ambitious young men who had specially prepared themselves lor their 
chosen work, Mr. Pirdy migrated in 1904 to California and located in 
Pomona. His self-reliance, persistency of purpose, coupled with a 
iletinite aim in lite, helpeil him to accomplish his splendiil success at 
Pomona. For a number of years, during his vacation time, .Mr. Pirdy 
has been associated with Ward & Company in electrical construction 
throughout Pomona \'alley. Later he became the secretary nm\ treas- 
urer of the Pomona Fixture and Wiring Company, of which concern 
he owns the majority of stock. Mr. Pirdy designed and installcil the 
beautiful electric fixtures of the Pomona Masonic lemple and has in- 
stalled fixtures in manv of the line residences of Pomona anil Clare- 



680 lllSToin' AM) I'.lDC'.RArHV 

mont. He is the owner of a five-acre orange grove on East Holt 
Avenue, which he has greatly improved since purchasing. 

On August 9, 1910, A. J. Pirdv was united in marriage with Helen 
Clapliam, a nati\e of the state of New Yoriv, and they are the parents 
of two children, John A. and Marjory Kuth. Fraternally Mr. Pirdy is 
verv prominent in Masonic circles and is past high priest of Pomona 
Chapter, No. 76, R. A. M., and commander of Southern California 
Commandery No. 37, K. T. Religiously he is a member of the Pilgrim 
Congregational Church. 



WILLIAM CLYDE DOUGHTY 

What sort of successful business men, absorbed with their own 
affairs and yet finding time to serve their fellow-citizens in offices of 
public trust, may spring forth in Pomona \^alley, is well illustrated 
in the life and interesting career of William Clyde Doughty, himself 
the son of a former office holder who was widely-esteemed in his day. 
He was born at Keokuk, Iowa, on October 17, 1871, and his father 
was William G. Doughty, who was born in Kentucky but reared in 
Illinois. He was a teacher in Iowa, later remo\ing to Kansas, where 
he both farmed and conducted a flour mill. In 1890 he came to La 
Verne, Cal., and set himself up as a merchant, and for six years he 
was postmaster under President Cleveland. He purchased raw land, 
developed water and set out an orange grove. May 9, 1906, he died, 
mourned by many. He had married, in Keokuk, Iowa, Martha J. 
Yenawine, a native of Illinois, and she is now living in Los Angeles, 
the mother of seven children. Charles H. lises in Los Angeles; W. 
Clyde is the subject of our interesting review; Helen M. has become 
Mrs. ¥. G. Kimball; Grace is the wife of C. W. Tucker; and there 
are Paul E., and Maude and Harry, twins. In his first year his parents 
moved from Keokuk to what became Galva, McPherson County, Kans., 
where he was reared and educated in the public and high schools. 

In 1890 Mr. Doughty came to La ^^erne, Cal., and since that 
time he has followed the orange industry and the real-estate business. 
He helped to pick the first carload of fruit taken from the Richards 
ranch in North Pomona, and for two years he was foreman of the old 
Ruddich & Trench Packing House, at La Verne. He himself owns 
a fine orange grove of fifteen acres in full bearing, all free from debt, 
one-half of the trees being \^alencias, the other half Navels, that 
he improved, and if anyone wishes to see a small "show jilace" re- 
flecting creditably on the ^'alley, he need not go further than this 
citrus property. 

Mr. Doughty has also been one of the leading real-estate dealers 
in the Valley for years, and has been most successful in the large sales 
of orange gro\-es antl alfalfa ranches, for which he maintains an office 
at La N'erne and operates throughout the \'alley. To know Mr. 



lllS'n )kV AND l'.I( x'.KAI'in' I 1 

Ddiij^hty is to wish to do business with him; and it has been this conti- 
dcncc in his honesty and judgment that has hiid the foundation tor his 
business success. Besides ha\ ing been president of the Board of I rade 
of La N'crne for two years, he served as a frrammar school trustee lor 
nine years, ami as a trustee of the hi^'Ii school for six: was clerk of 
the school board for years, and is now, as he has been for the past lour 
years, city clerk of the town of La N'erne, anil is a nienilH-r ol the 
La \'erne ()ranji;e Growers Association. 

When, on Julv 7, 1897, Mr. Doufijhty was married at La N'erne 
to Miss Cirace .Myers, a daughter of D. L. and Mary .Myers of 
Kansas, who were also early settlers of La N'erne, commenced tha. 
domestic, happy life made still brighter by the advent of two children, 
(ilenn and Ruby. Since then he has built a line home costing .<6,n()(l: 
and as an enterprising, prosperous man of affairs, he has constructed 
and still owns other desirable houses in La \'erne. 

J. KALl'H SUDl-.MAKI-.K 

A Pomonu \"al!ey rancher whose ownership of a line California 
orange gro\c, with memories of sports there in boyhood days when he 
had no thought of coming to possess the land, recalls many romances 
of California life, is J. Ralph Shoemaker, who was born at Los An- 
geles on .March 9, 1886, the son of Dr. Llisha T. Shoemaker, a native 
of Pennsylvania and a physician of repute, now deceased. Doctor 
Shoemaker, who was a graduate of the medical department of the 
L'niversitv of .Michigan, and who married Miss Mary 1". Rivers, a 
native of Ontario, came to Los Angeles in the early eighties, and was 
one of the pioneer doctors and one of the lirst to practice on the east 
side of the citv. Llis wife also was a graduate in medicine, her alma 
mater being the medical department of the L'niversity of Southern 
California, and she materially aided her husband in his practice. 

Ralph was educated in the public schools of Los Angeles, alter 
which he took a classical course at the Lewis Institute of Chicago, ami 
then spent three years at Pomona College. Lie next graduated from 
the San Luis Obispo Polytechnic School, and then spent a year in Stan- 
ford L'niversity, and for a year was foreman of the Cudahy ranch at 
I luntington Park. 

He has since followed irrigation engineering ami orange growing, 
and been engaged in the construction of irrigating systems in the Po- 
mona N'alley. He owns a line orange groxe of ten acres, where the 
trees, Na\els ami \'alencias, are seven years old; it is situated on 
Mountain Avenue, and was planted and developed by himsell. It 
includes land on which, as a boy in 19(1.^, he hunted rabbits. In part- 
nership, also, with W. A. McCormick of Pomona, Mr. Shoemaker 
is farming to grain 12(1 acres leasetl of the Louis Phillips ranch. 1 Ic 
is a member of the Clarcmont Citrus Association. 



68_' 111ST()K\' AND L'.loCRAi'llV 

In the Mission Chapel at Riverside in 1911, Mr. Shoemaker 
married Miss Eva Heartt, a native of Iowa, the daughter of Sidney 
and Jennie Heartt. She is a graduate of the Girls' Collegiate School 
in Los Angeles. Mr. Shoemaker is a member of the Congregational 
Church of Claremont. He was macie a Mason in Pomona Lodge, 
F. & A. M., and deniitting he was a charter member of Claremont 
Lodge \o. 426, F. & A. M. 



MISS L. WILTBERGER 

Southern Calltornia has attaincil world-wide tame as an artist's 
paradise, where all requirements necessary to the pursuit of the artistic 
\-ocation are to be had. Pomona is especially fortunate in possessing 
an artist of sucii i-arc ability as is found in Miss L. Wiltberger, who 
has a studio at 543 North (jordon Street, known as "The Little White 
House Studio." 

lliis artist is one ot Kentucky's daughters, but was reared and 
educateti in Chicago, 111., where she attended a school for girls. Later 
she became a student at the Chicago Art Institute, where she studied 
art for three years, afterwards taking a course in photography with 
the famous photogi-apher, Francis Place of Chicago. 

Miss Wiltbergei', with her niothei-, came to California and locat- 
ed in Pomona in 19(14. .\ftei- purchasing the home at 543 North 
tiordon Street, Miss Wiltberger built her studio, where she has been 
actively engaged in the pursuit of her profession e\'er since. The fact' 
that she ne\er has a ilull time in her business during the entire year 
bespeaks hei- capabilities as a finished artist of unusual merit who 
understands all ilepai'tments of her work. Her slogan, "The Real 
You," indicates what she so successfully stri\-es to achie\e m the atten- 
tion gl\en to character ami expression in reproducing her subjects. 
That the high-grade work achieved at her studio is appreciated by her 
customers is attested by the fact that during war time, when other busi- 
ness enterprises were retrenching because of lack of custom. Miss Wilt- 
berger's business was better than in previous years. 

She makes a specialty of baby pictures and mothers from miles 
aroimd bring their little ones to her studio to he photographed. Many 
eastern tourists who winter in Pomona have had their babies' pictures 
taken, and incidentally their own, and two or three years later have 
returned to again ha\e them photographed. She nmnbers among her 
customers many people from Los Angeles and other nearby cities. 
She has achieved wonders in her art in reproducing the graceful atti- 
tudes and natural expression of childhood. 

She is a member of the Mrst I'resbyterlan Church of Pomona and 
is stanchly loyal to the city in which she has achieved such artistic and 
financial success. 




'IT*'''' v'"^ ■■?' V 



!J 






as 

OS 

« 



lllS'l'i iioN' wii r.i( l(•,KAI'll^■ '■s=; 

111 \in J. \\n |( »i i\ H. HRri5.\Kii< 

l-orcinost aiiioiig those wliii hu\c broiiffht tlic mamilactuic of 
concrete pipe torward as a Calilornia itulustry. while acUanciii^ its 
state scieiitilicallv and technically, must he mentioneil I Ienr\ j. ami 
John li. lirubakei". iiiuler the hrni name ot Hruliaker iiros., whose 
office is at 25 Acacia Street, San Dimas. 1 lenry J. was horn on a larm 
in Iranklin County, Kans.. on March 6, 1S86. while his brother, John 
B. Mruhaker, was horn on January 16, 1SK4. Iheir parents were 
Joseph 1.. and Mary S. (Liarber) iirubaker, natixes of Tennessee and 
Illinois, respecti\ely. who were farmers in Iowa, and later in Kansas. 

Ihc family early mo\ed to Wyoming, ami after four years pro- 
ceeded, in the fall of 189(1. o\erland to California, beinjf three and a 
half months on the way. Ihey spent a year at !■ rcsno, and then they 
were at Norwalk until 1893. l-or aiKJther three years they remaincil 
at Little Kock, Antelope X'alley, on the Mojave desert, and in 1896 
came to San Dimas, where the father tlied; his widow sur\i\es him. 

lienry obtained his education in the public schools ot Calilornia. 
but at fourteen he went to work, anil the balance of his studyini^ was in 
the great school of life and human experience. I'or ti\e years he 
clerked in a general merchandise store with his brother, ami all the 
time was preparing for the later and more important work ol his life. 

In 1907 Brubaker Bros, established their business here, and 
it has been conducted in this vicinity ever since, the operations extendin;; 
in particular o\cr Riverside and Los Angeles counties. They employ 
an average of thirty men, and their pay roil runs over $2, DIM) a month. 
In 1912 Brubaker Bros, perfected a new concrete pipe making machine, 
which they patented and now use in their business. fhis machine 
facilitates the manutacture as well as makes a strf)nger and superior 
pipe. It is equipped to run by power. The manufactured pipe is 
shipped into different parts of Southern California arul as far north as 
Kern County and is in much demanil for its superior quality. The 
machine has been adopted by the state oi California in the manufacture 
of concrete pipe for the state land settlements. Being much interesteil 
in the development ami growth of Pomona \'alley, they ha\ e the satis- 
I action of knowing that they ha\e contributcii something eietinite to 
bring alxnit iletinite results. 

On June 5, 1909, Henry J. Brubaker was married to Miss D(H-a 
Ehersman, a native of Indiana, and they have two children, Mary 
Fdizabeth and Stuart Brubaker. John B. Brubaker inarrietl Miss 
I lattie I eague. the daughter of D. C. I eague. a pioneer of San Dimas. 
John B. Brubaker was bereaved of his wife three years ago. leaving 
him a ilaughter, Mattie May. The Brubakers are Republicans, also 
members of the Pomona Lodge No. 789. B. P. (J. liiks, and are active 
in the Chamber of Commerce. 



686 iiis'r()R\- Axu i;i:)CH<Arnv 

MARION MAPKL 

rhut adx'crsc conditions cannot daunt the spirit of American 
nianhootl, and but act as a stimulant to greater effort, lias found con- 
\incing expression in the life story of Marion Mapel. Beginning his 
struggle for a livelihootl at an early age, he has surmounteil many 
obstacles and reached an assured position in life solely through his 
own efforts and persevering industry, combined with business-like 
methods in his agricultural work. A native of Pennsyl\-ania, Mr. 
Mapel was born in Cireene County, March 6, 1869. When he was 
nine years old the family moved to Ritchie County, W. \'a., and 
settled there on a farm. The young lad started in to make his own 
way in the world at fourteen years of age, and for four years workeil 
for his board and clothes, and received at the end of that time a horse, 
saddle and briille. Selling these for ninety dollars, he settled up his 
affairs in \'irginia, and bought tickets for himself ami sister and went 
to Montgomery County, Iowa, arrl\ing with just fifty cents left of his 
ninety dollars. 

In his new environment, Mr. Mapel worked on a farm for two 
years, receiving his board and ten dollars per month for his services. 
He then decided to have a home of his own, and took for his wile 
Annie M. Fox, also a native of Pennsylvania, born near his old home. 
He startetl to farm on his own accoLUit, renting land in Montgomery 
County. A few years later they moved to Red Oak, the same state, 
and here Mr. Mapel engaged in the dairy business, milking from fifty 
to se\'enty-five cows. He had a modern plant and was the first man 
in the county to use milking machines, finding the appliances most 
successful. 

After eighteen years in Iowa, Mr. Mapel came to California, 
anil after looking over different parts of the state, decided that Pomona 
Valley suited him best as the place for his future home. He purchased 
a five-acre ranch on South Palomares Street, a part of which had just 
been set out to peaches, and he has developed the property into a 
splendid ranch, erected a modern bungalow and barns, and on ap- 
proaching his place one is struck with its fine appearance, everything 
modern and well-kept. In fact one of the show places of the tlistrict. 
He has ne\er had a crop failure, and from his acreage he took six 
tons of peaches in 1918. I^'rom ninety apricot trees he has taken as 
high as twehe tons ol truit. Besides this property, Mr. Mapel owns 
a twenty-acre ranch on South I'owne Ax'enue, in grain and alfalfa; at 
one tune he engagctl in orange growing, hut soon ga\-e that up. 

I<"i\e children ha\e blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Mapel : 
Myrtle I-'lorence, now Mrs. Charles V. Kinney of Pomona and the 
mother of two boys, Ivan and Owen; Nettie May, Mrs. I^". C. Hill 
of Los yXngeles; David McKinley and Lindsay Raymond, who both 
served In the United States Navy in the World War, Lindsay still 



1IIST< )K^■ \\l> r.H )C.R AI'IIN' (iS7 

bciiifj; in the scr\icc, on tlic L iiitcil States licstniyer Iiit^raliam; aiul 
I\a Ciracc. The family arc nK-mhcrs of the I'lrst Christian Church, ot 
wliich Mr. Mapcl is a deacon. A sclt-inade man in c\cry respect, he 
is an example of what incliistr\' and rij^lit Ii\in^ can accompllsli, and 
with his family, enjoys tlie esteem of the community. 



Ill KM.W 1.. MANMNC, 

No valley in Southern Califin-nla |)osscsses more importance than 
I'omona X'alley, anti none ha\e the jiromise ol equal j^row tli and dc\ cl- 
opment in the immediate future. Its past expansion in population and 
present importance is due larjjjely to the successful lievelopment of 
water for irrigation purposes, and those engaji;ed in this important 
work may justly he proud of the result attained in the visible e\ idence 
of success gi\cn in the rich fruitage of garden, orchard ami lield. 

Herman L. Manning, the well-known well-drilling contractor, 
with heaikjuarters at 82(1 Williams Street, Pomona, Cal., has been 
engaged in this important business, on his own responsibility, in 
Pomona \'alley since 1904. lie is a native of Carroll County, III., 
where he was born, near Lanark, May 29, 1874, and his early recollec- 
tions arc in connection with farm life in Illinois, where he was reared 
and educateil in the district schools. In 1892, at the age of eighteen, 
he came to Azusa, Cal. The first year in his new home he worked in 
a nursery, afterwards taking up the occupation ot well-drilling, in 
which he has been successfully engaged ever since. He entered the 
employ of X. S. Rice, with whom he learned the business, working 
with Mr. Rice in boring wells for the Chino Water Company in the 
Chino district, Pomona \'alley. For tour years he was cmployeil by 
the Standard Oil Company, drilling for the pipe line which they were 
biiikiing from Bakerstield to San Irancisco. In 1904 Mr. Manning 
began contracting well-boring for himself in Pomona \'alley. Besiiles 
boring wells in orange groves and on alfalfa ranches for pri\ ate parties 
he has bored for the Pomona Irrigation Company and the Monte \'ista 
Water Company, the San Dimas Land anti Water Company, and 
others, and has been an active factor in developing water in the \'alley. 
rhe deepest bore he ever made in Pomona \'alley tor water was 900 
feet. On the Currier Ranch in the Walnut district he was rewarded 
by a 100-inch flow of water at the ilepth of ninety-tive feet. I le under- 
takes all the big contracts in the \'alley, and keeps four modern motor- 
pr^wer well-boring rigs busy, and is obligeil to refuse many contracts 
because of more business than he can handle. 

In 1903, in Pomona, Mr. Manning married .Miss Lillie Rice, a 
daughter of .N. S. Rice and a native of California, ami they are the 
parents of a son, Carroll Rice Manning. Pomona has been Mr. .Man- 
ning's home since 1906. anil fraternally he is affiliated with and a 
charter member of Pomona Lodge No. 789, B. P. (). I'lks. 



688 



lllSTi )R^ WD I'.K )C,1\AIMIV 



DR. .m.\hi;l ].. wmrr. 

A member of (ine ot the pioneer tamilicsot Pomona, Doctor White 
has spent most of lier life here, ami is now practieino; her profession in 
the conimuiiitN where slie was reareii ami i-eeei\ ed her edueation. Horn 
in Hampton, Iranklin County, Iowa, she is a daughter of Ira F. and 
Mary I.. ( Downintr) W'liite; the family came to Pomona in 1886, and 
soon after their arrixal the father engageti in the hartlware business, 
continuing in that business lor a period ot lort\' \ears, when he sold 
out ami is now li\ing retired in l^omona. 

Attending the public ami high school of tlie city. Doctor White 
gratluated from the latter in 1890. Slie then took a course in Williams 
Business College, ami trom that institution went to 1 lealdsburg Col- 
lege, now known as Pacilic I nion College, and later finished with a 
course in tiie Osteopathic College ol Physicians and Surgeons, Los 
Angeles, in 1911. On rccei\ing her final degree, she began the prac- 
tice ot her profession m ( )ntario, and remaine^l there fixe \ears. Doctor 
White is the only osteopathic physician in the N'alley using the Battle 
Creek method of hydrotherapy in connection with osteopathy, this 
combination of treatments luning met with mar\elous success in the 
larger cities and Pomona is indeed fortunate to ha\e access to them at 
home. Ihoroughly proficient in her life work. Doctor \\'hite has built 
up a large practice and is looked upon as one with a future of even 
greater success ami help to mankind. 

A woman of broad views and depth ot character. Doctor White 
has won the respect and esteem of her home community, and does her 
part in all affairs which mean the upbuilding of Pomona aiul \icinity. 
She is a member of the State Osteopathic Association. 



WIl.ldAM .M. MARPIN 

Prominent among the orange aiui lemon growers of San Dimas 
ma\ be inentionetl William M. Martin, who. though a nati\e of Prince 
I'.dward Island, Canada, has been a resident of the United States 
since 1873, when as a young man he migrateci to this country to estab- 
lish a permanent home. He is descended from a sturdy line of Scotch 
ancestry, his forbears coming to Canada in 180.3 from their native 
Scotch heath. Mr. Martin went first to \'irginia Citv, Ne\-., where he 
remained tor seven years, lor the most of this time working for the 
\'irginia and Truckee Railroad. Later he went to Park Citv, L'tah, 
where tor sexeral years he was engaged as a millwright. 

It was in 1888 that AL-. Martin came to California, and for a 
time was employed as a rancher at Lordsburg. in 1891 he |)urchased 
has present place at San Dimas, consisting of twenty acres that had 
previously been a barley field. At first he planted deciduous fruits, 
peaches and apricots taking precedence, ami later these were replaced 



lliSTokV AXlJ i;ioc,k.\i'ii\ (<><'> 

by oranges, \N'ashingt(in Na\L-ls anJ X'alcncias being i.b<iscn. ami still 
later lemons were ailileJ tf) the gro\ es. J here are three acres ot 
lemons at the present time, they being especially tine trees and gootl 
producers. Mr. Martin also owned another property i>i twenty acres 
which he de\eloped into a producing orange ranch and soKi at a hand- 
some profit. 

The marriage of Mr. Martin occurreil in 1 SS.l, at i'rince I'.dward 
Island, uniting him with .Miss .Mary Ann McLean, like himself a 
nati\e of that islaml. They ha\e one ilaughter, .Marion Ruth, now the 
wife of J. C Bowen of P(jmona, and the mother of two children. .Mr. 
Martin takes an acti\e part in local affairs. He is a member <d the 
San Dimas Orange Associatif)n and of the San Dimas I.emon .\ssocia- 
tion. He is also member of the L nited Workmen, and attends the 
Union Church in San Dimas. 



JOSKIN 1 .Ml I. UN 

One of the oldest city officers in this neighborhood, ami a pioneer 
who is interested in both the past history and the future deselopment 
of Pomona \'alley. is Joseph .Mullen, the city assessor anil ex-officio 
treasurer and tax collector. He was bf)rn in Grant County, Wis., on 
February 17, 1845, the son of John Mullen, a farmer, who married 
Margaret O'Connor, a lady of Irish descent. The family came to 
Calif(jrnia in 1852, crossing the great plains by ox train and taking 
six months for the journey; and they first settled in Shasta County, 
where the parents died. The old place is still in the family, and the 
tradition of the early work of the Mullens as pioneers is still cherished 
by the residents of that section familiar with its annals. 

One of a family of six boys and t\vo girls, Joseph began his 
education at the Shasta County public schools, after which he remained 
with his father until he was thirty years of age. I hen he remo\ cd 
to Redding, and for six years engaged in the grain, feed and livery 
business. When he sold out he moved to Anderson, where he resided 
for a couple of years. 

On coming to Southern California in 188.3, he located for a year 
at Los Angeles, and the following year came to Pomona, thus being 
fortunate early to associate himself with the growth and development 
of this part of the Golden State. He resumed his line of activitv 
there, but after twelve months took up the transfer business, which he 
continued to run for three years. Then he sold out, and < 'le 

li\ery business, and erected seseral business structures . ^s. 

In 1897 .Mr. Mullen was elected city assessor, and that alone he 
remained until the new charter was adopted and the offices were com- 
bined; and h' fi"- ^^■■■■n reelected to these offices e\er since. Thus he 



690 ■ HISTORY A\I^ I'.K K^.RAIMTV 

\vas the first citv assessor after the oriranization of the city of Pomona 
in 1888. He belongs to the Republican party and also to the Cliamber 
of Commerce. 

At Redding, Shasta County, on New Year's Day, 1878, Mr. 
Mullen was married to Miss Lillian G. Garnham, by whom he has had 
three children, each of whom has accomplished something worth while. 
Frank is in San Francisco; William is associated with his father in the 
cultivation of oranges; and Lota is at home and an assistant in her 
father's oflice. While not a member of the denomination, Mr. Mullen 
is an active coworker in the Christian Science Church. Fraternally he 
is a member of the Masons and the Flks. Like all cultured, progres- 
si\'e pioneers, he is deeply interested in tlie traditions and the possi- 
bilities of Pomona \'allev. 



CYRUS MASON PARSONS 

Among the \\()rthiest representati\es of gooil old l\e\ olurionarx' 
stock \\ho settled in time in thoroughly American Claremont must be 
mentioned the late Cyrus Mason Parsons, whose taking off, on No- 
vember .>'), 1908, was widely regarded as a public loss, and his 
esteemeil widow, still a resicient of Claremont. He was born near 
Da\enport, loua, on January 14, 1856, and his father was Cyrus 
Mason Parsons, who maintained his physical and mental faculties 
wonderfully unimpaired until his ninetieth year, and ilied in August, 
1917. His mother was Miss Eliza Ha/en before her marriage, and 
passed away in 1912, about two months after she and her husband had 
celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary. They were botli born 
in Ahissachusetts, and their forbears belonged to those sturdv Ameri- 
cans who helped to found and to defend the young republic. 

Commencing his studies in the public schools of his time near 
Davenport, Mr. Parsons was able, at the early age of twenty, to begin 
his self-supporting career by teaching school in Scott County, in that 
state; antl in that field he continued for three years, thus mak- 
ing his contribution toward popular education in Iowa. Lca\ing 
his schoolmaster's rostrum, he engaged in farming in Iowa, from 1880 
to 189.3, and in the latter year removed to l-'ordvce. Ark., where he 
became interested in the lumber business. ThoLigh still retaining his 
interest in the company at P'ordyce, as well as in the lumber mills at 
Lockhart, Ala., and at Crossett, Ark., he came west to California in 
1903 and settled at Claremont. 

Mr. Parsons' reason for taking this important and somewhat 
expensi\e step was because of the established reputation of the town 
as an educational center, and his desire to enable his children to attend 
Pomoya College; for, on March 9, 1880, at Big Rock, Scott County, 
Iowa, he had married Miss Mary A. Gates, a nati\e of that locality, 



IllSn i\<\ AND I'.li »r,k AI'IIN (,''1 

and a dauj^htcr ot Don C ami Cornelia {Hawkins; dates, also 
descendants trotn the pioneers tit the KeNoIutionary period, ol old 
\ ermont stock ot llnglish ilescent, ami there are now six children in 
the Parsons taniily. His youngest son. Iloward Brewster, enlisted tor 
the great Juiropean war in Auf^ust, 1917, and for nineteen months 
served at Camp Sheridan, Ala., in the (]uarterma.ster's corps and the 
irKJtor transp<jrt service. I he other children are: Jessie, Walter, 
Mrs. Nellie Belcher, Hazen and .Mrs. Cornelia Spurgeon. 

.\s a man ot afiairs, always looked up to in the community In 
which he had li\ed and tjperated, Mr. Pars(jns was president of the 
Clareinont State Bank and secretary and treasurer ot the Clarem<jnt 
Inn; and he often held \arious minor offices, such as secretary of the 
school board — all important in their way, and reflecting the esteem 
in which he was held by a class of fellow-citizens he was glad to li\e 
among antl work for. He, as well as his family, were members of the 
Congregational Church in Claremont, and as trustee he was an active 
and loyal supporter of all that pertained thereto. Desiring no seltish 
benefit through political support, he ga\e his endorsement to prohibi- 
tion, and w(jrked consistently for the day-dawn in the abolition of the 
saloon, a realization now at hand, in our country at least, but which 
he was never pri\ ilcged, sa\e by faith, to see. 

No better summing up of the life, work and influence of .Mr. 
Parsons could be made, perhaps, than in the words of his pastor. 
Doctor Kingman, at his demise : "A thoroughly successful man, and 
one who occupied conspicuous place in affairs, was C. .M. Parsons, who 
by his business ability and genuine worth as a man became a prominent 
and influential factor in the well-being of Claremont." 



R\\. WALTl-K C. Bl CKNl K 

Rev. Walter C. Buckner. who is at present in charge of the First 
.Methodist Church of Pomona, is considered one of the nuist promising 
young ministers to com-j to the Coast in late years; gifted by Nature 
with unusual powers of personal magnetism and by grace with a heart 
free from ;i" ' ritableness and narrow criticizing, he has shown 
how close!) i may be the pulpit and the pew; how a Christian 

may be in the world and not of it. In a comparatively sh(jrt time he 
' ic remarkable pnjgress in the field of Christianity and his work 

: to carry him tn a prominent place among the humanitarian 
ministers of today. 

Born in Pottawattamie County. Iowa. January 9. 1883. Reverend 
Buckner received his first Christian teachings in his own honu. for his 
father was a Methodist minister who had charges all over the state of 
Iowa. After finishing the public schools, the young recruit attended 
Baker Lniv-r-Itv ir FV.Mwin. Kans.. graduating in I 9(i3 with the de- 



692 HISTORY AM) I'.K )C,RA1'1 H' 

greeof A.B. lor three years followiiii;; his ij;i';uluati(>ii he toMowed the 
mercantile business, and then recei\ecl his first call. He was ordained 
a minister in 1906, and in 1907 came to Dinuba, Cal., his first charge. 
There he organized and built a church, and ditl this same arduous and 
important work at Sultana, Cochran and Waukena, Cal. 

In 1911, Reverend Buckner was called to Tulare, and for six 
years bent his efforts toward the upbuilding of a strong church body in 
that city. He was instrumental in bringing the Chautauqua and Lyceum 
course there for the first time, and other public welfare work. An elo- 
quent speaker, he gave lectures on community cooperation in church 
work, one of his hobbies and one of the greatest factors for progress 
in church work. For three years he was district president of the Fresno 
district of the Epworth League; and was also chairman on e\-angelical 
work in Fresno disti-ict. He was president of the Ministerial Associa- 
tion in I ulare Count)'. His unselfish woi"k made him \'erv popular 
in Tulare and a jietition was circulated there anil signed by all business 
men, reijuesting his ser\'ices there for another year on account of the 
fine work he had done in building up the church and in public welfare 
work. During his work in "Fulare a fine modern church eilifice was 
erected. 

In the fall of 1917, Reverend Buckner was called to Pomona, and 
in this broader ftdd he has demonstrated his ability as an organizer and 
leader of men, due to his unselfish de\-otion to the cause of true Chris- 
tianity and his sincerely de\out con\iction that e\ery iiKtn is woi'thv of 
redemption. Since taking charge here he has Increasetl the member- 
ship of the church materially and has brought it to a splendid financial 
standing. Fi\'e thousand dollars was raised for bene\-olent purposes 
by the church during 1918. 

While in college, Re\-erend Buckner was acti\e in athletics, and he 
is a firm belie\er in this form of health)' recreation for all classes. In- 
cluded in his community service program, he will establish a play- 
ground where baseball, track athletics, clean boxing and other popular 
sports may be induigetl; thus while trying to tell his people what they 
"shall not" do, he at the same time will tell them what they can do to 
be healthy and happy citizens. On his church Reverend Buckner will 
have a revolving electric cross installed, as a beacon of light. His en- 
thusiasm and genial nature make him popular with all audiences antl for 
two seasons he was on the road with the Tdlison-White Chautauqua 
and Lyceum Course. 

'Ilie marriage of Re\-erend Buckner, in Berkelev, July 30, 1908, 
united him with ]'',va Wright, a native of Pittsburg, Kans., and three 
children have blessed their union : Theodore J., Cihulys and Louise. 

Reverent] Buckner reestablished the Chautau(]ua and reorganized 
the Lyceum Course on its present effective basis in Pomona: he is presi- 
dent of Pomona Valley Methodist Preachers' Meeting; president of the 



1IIST( )KV AND \U( n;u\\']\\ (,'»;, 

Ministers L'nion ot I'omdiia ; he is on the statt ol kctiirers <il the 
Parent-Teachers Association; he is vice-president o( the Keil Cross 
anii director of the h)cal Welfare l.ea}j;ue; for three years he ha> heen 
on the start of instructors of the I'lpworth Leay;iie summer work: and is 
also director of the Spanish-American Institute ot (iardena and chair- 
man on committee of admission. While in Tulare, Kevereml liuckner 
became a member of the Masonic order; locally he is a member ot the 
V. M. C A. ami thus keeps in splendid physical condition tor his 
labors. 



I'Ari. W. \I.\\C( )M1 R. M. I). 

Amony; the professional men who ha\ e always served the appre- 
ciati\ e community of Pomona with disinterested conscientiousness, and 
who was amonjf those to volunteer his services to the American Army 
in the late war, is Paul W. Newcomer, the well-known physician. 1 le 
was born at I'etersburjf, 111., on August 22. 1874. the son of Dr. J. W. 
Newcomer, who was a surjj;con and served in the L nited States .Navy 
during the long Ci\ il War. He married Miss Jennie White, and they 
had seven children — tive boys and one girl, four of whom became 
physicians. The oldest brother. A. I., is a doctor in Oklahoma; .Miss 
jean teaches Latin in the Hollywood High School; [. 11. is in the 
real-estate business in Oklahoma; Doctor Ir\ing is in I'etersburg, 111.; 
and Nathan Bennett is in Sheridan. Wyo. Both of the parents are 
now death 

Paul attended the Petersburg schools, graduating from the high 
school in the early nineties. From 1893 to \S9S he was at the 
L'niversity of Illinois, and in 1896 at Jefterson Medical School ot 
Philadelphia. From 1904 to 1906 he studied at the l'niversity of 
Colorado, and in the latter year he w-as graduated from the Medical 
Department. Doctor Newcomer tirst practical at CJillette. Wyo., in 
which state, in 191.3, he also became a registered pharmacist. 1 le was 
successful, but he came to Pomona in 1916. and each year he has been 
more and more fa\f)red with success and prosperity. 

While at Petersburg, on July 29. 1902. Doctor Newcomer 
married Catherine Mary Fischer, and two daughters. Catherine Berta 
and Jam: I-.li/.abeth, ha\e been born to them. 

Doctor Newcomer is a Mason and belongs to the lodge, chapter, 
council and commandcry; and is a member of the I-!lks and Knights 
of Pythias. He gi\es acti\ e support to the Pomona Chamber of Com- 
merce, and yet tintls time tor some of the allurements of the outside 
world. He is a Republican in national political affairs, but nonpartisan 
in local issues. The recollection, howexer, of his patriotism and public- 
spiritciiness will not soon fade from his fellow Pomonans, who cannot 
fail to be proud of the man or woman who is willing to try to do iiis 
or her share. 



694 lllS'l'om' AM) I'.KX'.RAIMIV 

ALLEN G. MITCHELL 

A rising lawyer of I'Diiiona, with offices in the Investment Bmld- 
ing, in association with J. A. Alhird, where he is becoming a potent 
factor in the various cases from this section of Los Angeles County, 
Allen G. Mitchell is well known to the citizens of Pomona and 
environs. A son of the late James M. Mitchell, who is mentioned on 
another page of this histoi^y, he was born at Montesano, Chehalis 
County, Wash., \Liy 25, 1894. His mother, a native of Iowa, was 
in maidenhood Anna Louglirey, anil is still li\:ng here. 

Allen Cj. attended the public schools of Pomona ant! finished in 
the high school, soon after which he began to read law, and in time 
was admitted to the bar; then he entered the law scIkkjI of the Uni\-er- 
sity of Southern California and was graduated with the class of '18. 
Prior to his graciuation he was for eighteen months connected with the 
Los Angeles Board of Trade. On April 16, 1918, he enlisted in the 
Na\al Reserves and was released from acti\e service on December 13, 
that year. In August, 1919, he took up his present law association 
with Joseph A. Allard, Jr., and since then has had his share of the law 
business of Pomona and xicinity. 

Mr. Mitchell was ujiited in marriage on October 4, 1916, with 
Miss Elva Farrar, a nati\e daughter, born in N'entura County, and 
rhev ha\e a daughter, Margaret Mitchell. Mr. jVIitchell is interested 
in all projects that ha\e for their aim the betterment of conditions for 
the people of this \'alley, as well as the building up of the interests 
of the Vallev itself. 



EDWARD H. GAMMOX 

While many have found fortunes in California's gold fields, 
others ha\e been equally iortunate in disco\ering the possibilities of 
the goKlen fruit of California orange gro\es as a means of reimburs- 
ing the owner and lining his pocket book with the precious metal. 

Among the successful growers ot citrus fruit in Pomona \'allev, 
Edwartl H. Cjammon deserves special mention. He is stl'l a yoimg 
man and his success in the culture of the orange since coming to Cali- 
fornia is notable. He is a native of Illinois and was boi-n in Li\lng- 
stoii County, No\ember 15, 1874. In 1884, when he was a hul of ten, 
he accompanied his parents to Wyoming. There were many Indian 
tribes in the country in those days, and the family experienced the 
usual hanishiiis that attend pioneering. They tra\'eled more than .^0(1 
miles o\erland and located on a large horse and cattle ranch situated 
150 miles from a railroad, 1 Ofl miles from a town and forty-fi\'e miles 
Irom a postoffice. "^ oung Etiwartl grew up on the Wyoming ranch 
and started to rule the range as a ct)wboy when but eight years of age. 
He was associated with his father In the catt'e business until, on ac- 



II1ST( )KV AM) l'.I( )C.KAI'liV <''>r 

count of poor health, he came to California in July. 19(16, and located 
in the Pomona \alley, where he purchased a ten-acre orange ranch on 
l-'ast Holt A\enue, known as the Alberta Place, which he later dis- 
posed of. At present he is the owner of two fuie orange groves, one of 
which, comprising ten acres of twenty-live-year-old trees, located in 
the Narod district and known as the I'it/.er ranch, is among the best 
producing orange groves in the N'allcy. The other twenty-acre grove 
on Monte \'ista Tract was fully dexelopcd by him, the land le\eleil. 
plowed and set to Navel and Valencia orange trees. I'he gro\e is 
■i.'v iri vears old, in bearing and is a line piece of property. 

Mr. Gammon's marriage united him with Miss Nellie Kmigh, 
and they are the parents of a daughter, Daisy by name. In his Irater- 
nal associations, Mr. Gammon is a member of the Modern Woodmen 
of America. 



liDWAKD D. BRADLI.Y 

The fame of Pomona as a city not only of desirable homes, but 
of principled and experienced dealers in realty, desirous at all times 
of cooperating to provide such home places as must vieKi the largest 
percentage of human welfare and happiness, has long and widely been 
known, and has undoubtedly had much to do with attracting a very 
high grade of residents from even remote points. Among such dealers 
must be included Kdward D. Bradley of the firm of Bradley & Ilells, 
doing business at 290 South Garey Avenue, in the Hotel Avis Build- 
ing, who has steadily striven, with his partner, Frank C. I'.ells, to give 
stability to land and property \alues, present e\erything offered for 
sale or exchange in its true light, and to insist on the worth oi each 
acre, lot or edifice, especially when that worth has been increased by 
exceptional natural advantages — thus contributing in the right fashion 
to a hastening of the day when Pomona must come to its own. 

Mr. Bradley was born in Greene County, III., on January 19. 
1865, the son of John C. Bradley, a native of Manchester, III., who 
is still living. Mrs. Bradley was Miss Temple I.. Da\is before her 
marriage, and, like her husband, she was a native of Illinois. She is 
now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Bradley had five children: I'dvvard D., 
the subject of our interesting review, and L. R. Bradley, the manager 
of the Lemon Grove Association Packing House at Uplands, and the 
daughters, Mrs. Grace Kimball and Mrs. Helen Rodgers, both of 
Los Angeles, and Mary L., who died in Los Angeles. John C. Brad- 
ley came to California from \ ernon County, Mo., about .\pril 27, 
1884, and located at San Jacinto, in Riverside County. Later, he 
went to Ontario and Imperial County, where he followed farming; 
but he now resides, retired, in Claremont. 

Edward Bradley was five years of age when the familv moved 
from Cireene Countv, 111., to \'ernon Countv. .Mo., where he was 



cm 1I1S'I'( )\<\ AM) r.l:)C,RAniN' 

reared on a farm, while he atteiuled the pubHe sehools. In 1S84. lie 
arrived in San Jacinto, and for a while worked at farming. Then 
he tried the hardware business, and in 189S mo\ed to Pomona, where 
he bought the stock of Louis S. Amh-ous, and for ten years continued 
to sell hardware. He then entered the real-estate business, and has 
follow-id it ever since. 

For a long time he operated alone, and later had 1 larold Dewey 
as a partner. After about six months he formed a partnership with 
Mr. Eells, under the lirm name of Bradley & Eells, and this has now 
become one of the leading real-estate concerns in the city, and indeed 
throughout the Pomona \'alley. They make a specialty of improved 
orange and alfalfa ranches, ha\e put through some large deals, and 
carry on an extensixc business, some indi\idual transactions running 
as high as $65,000. I'hey also deal in city property antl business 
blocks. Mr. BraiUey has himself built and sold eight houses in the 
Valley. The tirm subdi\ided and put on the market a ranch of twenty 
acres at Chino; and Mr. Bradley owns a ten-acre orange ranch half 
a mile west of Claremont, where he makes his home. It is a part of 
the old Loop homestead, the Loop family having been one of the first 
to settle in the Valley. His residence, therefore, now remodeled, was 
originally the Loop homestead, one of the oldest houses in the district. 
Many of the orange trees on the ranch are forty-five years old, and 
were originally seedling trees, which were later budded to \\alencias 
and Navels. About $10,000 worth of fruit was taken from this ranch 
in 1919. Mr. Bradley is president of the Pomona Cemetery Associa- 
tion, in which he has been a director for about fifteen years. 

In \'ernon County, Mo., on October 2, 1881, Mr. Bradley was 
married to Miss Helen Roodhouse, a native of Illinois and the 
daughter of James D. and Lucy L. (Robinson) Roodhouse. Mr. and 
Mrs. Bradley attend the First Methodist Church of Pomona. 



FREDERICK W. RITTER 

A dealer in real estate, loans and insurance who has done much 
to make ami nuiintain his field of activity as one of the most self- 
respecting anil honorable in the domain of commerce, is I-rederick W. 
Ritter of the well-known firm of \\ W. Ritter & Company, ha\ing 
offices at 2.18 Investment Building, Pomona. He was born in Keokuk 
County, Iowa, and grew up in a farming district, where he attended 
the country schools. At the age of nineteen he left the farm and 
moved to Ottumwa, Iowa, where he learned the trade of a tinner, but 
after two years he returned to his natixe town of ITedrick, where he 
bought a half-interest in a hardware business, associated himself as 
partner with M. W. Owen ; later, he bought out his partner and carried 
on the business alone, nnd still later he took in L. Dudgeon with him. 
Mr. Ritter was twenty years in business in Hedrick, during which 



iii.s'r< >u'y \\i) i;i(MW<Ariiv 'Vtr 

timc a larj^c lirick store aiul other IniiKiings were erecteii to lioiise the 
growinji establishment. He carried a general line of hardware, as 
well as buggies, farming implements, etc., anil while there he took an 
acti\e part in the affairs of the growing town, lor se\en years he 
was a member of the city council, and he was also on the I ledrick 
board of education. He was treasurer of the lirst Baptist Church, 
and was a tlirector in the Iowa State Hardware Dealers .Association. 
Selling out, he tra\elei.l for a year, jiart of the time in the North ami 
I*!ast, part ot the time in Texas. 

In October. 1907, .Mr. Hitter came west to California and located 
at I'omona, where for eight months he was in the employ of the 
Kussell Hardware Company. Ihen he became interested in real estate, 
in which held he has been acti\e tor the past ele\en years. He started 
in lor himsell in 19(18, ami for the year, 1911-12, was in partnership 
with W. S. Palmer & Son. He was the agent for the lots in Cjancsha 
Park Tract, and built the first house on that tract, and also erected 
and soil! a number oi residences in Pomona. 

He also organized the California Farm and |- ruit Lands Com- 
pany, which was formed for the purpose of buying, selling and dealing 
in lands, and he has been president of the company since the first year 
of its organization. J his company owns thirty-nine acres of fine fruit 
land, located northeast of Claremont in the College Heights Tract, 
and it has seventeen acres in bearing lemons. .Mr. Hitter was also an 
important factor in the development and marketing of the College 
Heights 'Tract of 1,120 acres, located northeast of Claremont between 
Eighth and Sixteenth streets, and extending east into the Uplands 
district. He made many sales in this property, and the part already 
improved is one of the best improved citrus-fruit districts of Pomona 
Valley. 

.Mr. Hitter does a genera! real-estate business, working with his 
son, (jcorge A. Hitter, as partner. He is thoroughly posted on land 
\ aluations in the N'alley, and his standard of business ethics leads him 
to offer only the actual \alues, and, through representation and not 
misrepresentation, to maintain and secure the \alue that ought to be 
recognized. He was secretary of the building committee which erected 
the Baptist Church on North Garey Avenue, and for three years he 
served as custodian of the church. He has been a Mason since he was 
twenty-one. .Mr. Hitter was one of the organizers of the Pomona 
Chamber of Commerce, at which time he was chosen a director, an 
office he has since filled with satisfaction to all concerned. 

In Cincinnati, Ohio, .Mr. Hitter was married to .Mrs. Emma C. 
Bayer, a native of that city, by whom he has one sf)n living, George 
A. Hitter. During the war, Cjeorge A. entered the air service, and 
trained in I exas and .Mississippi, but, despite his patriotic desires, the 
armistice was signed before he could see active service abroad. 



698 inSTORV AM) I'.K )C.RA1'1 1'l' 

CYRUS H. COLE 

Tlie well-kiioun painting contractor, paper-hanger and tinter, 
Cyrus II. Cole, who resides at 459 West I'it'th Street, Pomona, Cal., 
was born at Mineral Point, Iowa County, Wis., December 14, 1860, 
a section of country renowned ior its lead mines. It is also a rich 
(arming district and Mr. Cole was brought up on his lather's farm and 
educated in the country schools of his native state. He worked on his 
father's tarm until twenty years of age, and later on other iarms in 
the district, on threshing machines, etc. When twenty-ti\e years okl he 
went to Sheffield, Franklin Coimty, Iowa, and engaged with the D. E. 
Loomis Company, dealers in agricultLU'al implements, as salesman. He 
sold and installed many windmills and also agricultural iniplements on 
the road, and was the owner of a one-half interest in a steam threshing 
machine outlit. For two years he ran a music store in Sheffield. 

When a young man sixteen years of age he took up carriage 
painting at home and also worked at home in a carriage shop. In 1893 
he came to California and soon located at Santa iMonica, where he 
took up painting and papering contracting. He became expert in this 
line of work in which he was engaged for twenty-six years in Los 
Angeles County. January 6, 1911, he locate^l at Pomona, where he 
has since continued the vocation of contracting papering and painting. 
He is a thoroughly reliable workman and his first-class work is evi- 
denced in many apartment houses, store fronts, bungalows and fine 
residences. People who send foi- him to make estimates on decorat- 
ing and papering houses depend on his judgment, and his ser\-ices and 
ad\ice concerning the quality and class of work are eagerly sought. 

Mr. Cole married Miss Amantla Hull and thev are the parents 
of two daughters, Irene and Blanche. 



LESLIE L. ELLIOT 

An enterprisnig man of trade, thorough!)' familiar with his 
important field, who reminiis one, in his advancement from being 
proprietor of a small shop to becoming the owner of an extensive 
works, of the famous proverb as to the growth of oaks from acorns, is 
Leslie L. Elliot, a native of Toledo, Ohio, where he was born on 
September 28, 1887. He went to school in Toledo until he was ten 
years of age, antl then came to California and Pomona. Flere he 
attended the Kingsley School, and then went to the Throop Polytechnic 
at Pasadena; anil having finished his studies tliere, he was engaged as 
timekeeper at the Wentvvorth, now the Huntington Hotel, at Pasailena, 
while it was being constructed. 

Returning to Pomona in 1909, he entered the employ of the 
Pratt Music Company for a time, and then he opened a bicycle shop 



iiisTi )k^■ .\\i> i''ii )C.i<.\ri!N' 



I, 'I' I 



an South Thomas Street, where he h:ui the first vulcani/int,' phmt in 
the X'alley. After that, having' sold out his phice at I'oniona, he started 
a shop at Isedhinds. 

When he had conducted a husiness in Kedlands for a while, he 
sold out to advantage and returned to I'oniona and houf^lit a In e-acre 
oranjje grove on I'ast 1 lolt Avenue, which he lievelopetl to the hesi 
of his ability and sold after four years. He ncNt entered the employ 
of S. B. Barnes at Pomona, ilealer in auto supplies anil proprietor ol 
the \ulcani/ing works then conducted in the siiop he now owns at the 
corner of Thomas and West Third streets: and having in time bought 
Mr. Barnes out, he came to conduct the business under his own name. 

Here, in this well-appointed establishment. .Mr. I'.lliot has built 
up a large and ever increasing trade, being distributor to the \'allev 
of the famous Kelly-Springfield tires and the (ioodyear tires, ami 
there is little of value needed by the motorist that he tioes not carry 
or cannot at least obtain if it is ordered. 

Mr. I-'.lliot was married, on May II. 1911. at Los Angeles, to 
Miss Antha (ireenlcaf, of Detroit, the daughter of Fred (ireenleat. 
of Detroit; and three sons have come to bless their happy home. 'I hey 
are Leslie (J.. \'incent ami Marcus Ltliot. 

Mr. l-'.lliot is. of course, a li\e wire in the I'omona Chamber of 
Commerce; and he is equally live as a member of I'omona Lodge 
No. 107, Knights of I'vthias, anil of I'omona Lodge No. 789, B. I'. ( ). 
i:iks. 



RALPH SMirH. M. D. 

An exponent of the last word in medical science who has accom- 
plished much good work for humanity since first he settled in I'omona, 
anil has therefore contributed to the attractiveness of the town as a 
home place, is Dr. Ralph Smith, the specialist. He was born at 
N'illisca, Iowa, in 1872, the son of Llias Smith, now deceased, who 
married Miss Bertha \'an Sittert, now living at Long Beach. 

F.ducated at the common ami high schools of his home district, 
Ralph Smith put behinil him some preparatory work anil excntually 
graduated from Rush Medical College in 190(i. lor four years, be- 
ginning with the new century, he practiced medicine in Iowa, and for 
the next eleven years in Illinois. These fifteen years of varied applica- 
tion n\ knowledge to experiment, and the derivation of knowledge 
from practical experience, gave a splendid eijuipment to the physician 
before, in August, 1915. he came to Pomona to make his home and 
continue his professional work. 

Doctor Smith also took post-graduate work in his special field 
in New York, Chicago ami \'ienna, so that for the past decade and 
a half he has been speciali/lng, more and more. Toilay he has a flat- 



700 lllSTOKV AND lU. X'.RAIM I V 

tcnni^ practice and is rccognizecl as one (it the leading physicians and 
siirireons ot Pomona. He is inHucntial tor a higher stamiard ot ci\"ic 
lite in the councils ot the Repiihlicans. and a leader, when opportunity 
otters, in work by the Chaniher ot Commerce for bringing the city into 
still closer touch with the outside worlil. 

Doctor Smith's marriage to Miss Cora Diemer took place at 
Denmark, K)wa, on May 16. 1905; and from this fortunate union has 
sprung one son, Harold, who is attending school. Doctor Smith is 
a Knight lemplar Mason. 



i:rm:si" d. i i:rrkh 

Staneling at the head of the contracting business in plastering, 
I'lrnest D. Kerree has occupied a prominent position in the busmess 
world of Pomona, Cal., since 1914. lie makes a specialty ot exterior 
work and furnishes estimates at any time and place. 

He is a nati\ e of Ciarland, Kans., where he was born July 2. 1888. 
Reared and educated in his native state, he learned his tratle under the 
tutelage of his father, a plastering contractor at Pittsburg. Kans.. 
where the son worked at the plastering business for his parent and 
fanneil for himself for three years in that section. In 1911 he came 
to Pomona, Cal., ami was employed at his trade with Cj. W. Clark, 
later, in 1914, becoming a contractor for himself. He formeii a part- 
nership with A. I.. .Mc.Mullin under the firm name of I'erree and 
.Mc.Mullin. When Mr. lerree entered the war the tirm was ilissoheii. 
July, 1918. He was attached to the Thirteenth Division, L'. S. A., of 
the Machine Gun Battalion, stationed six months at American Lake, 
Washington, and discharged before seeing active ser\ice in France. 
He returned to Pomona and resumed his old trade of plastering con- 
tractor. He has done all the large contracts in the Valley in recent 
years, and had the contract for the Pomona Cireek Theatre at Cjanesha 
Park, the Home Telephone Company's building at Pomona, the new 
girls' dormitory at La \ erne College, the Arcadia City Llall, the First 
National Bank building at Puente, the precooling plant of the San 
Dimas Orange Cirowcrs Association, the precooling plant of the In- 
dian Hill Citrus Association, North Pomona, and the school house at 
Whittier. The interior of Holmes Hall, Pomona College, at Clare- 
mont, is his work, and also the Opera garage, the Clark Brothers' ga- 
rage, the White garage, and the Heubsch garage, at Pomona. He has 
also done the work on many of the fine homes in Pomona and \icinity. 

On March 7. 1907. at (larland, Kans., he married .Miss .Marie 
Claypool, a nati\e of Kansas, born Julv 24, 1888, and thev are the 
parents of a son named Walter Jennings. I- raternallv, Mr. Ferree is 
associated with the "Yeomen, and is a member of the Pomona Lodge 
of Loyal Order of Moose and the Knights of Pythias. 



IIISTok^' AM) I'.IOC.kAi'llV 701 

I.MMO L. lilCHOWbKV 

To have lived in Southern California for the last thirty-tne years 
and watched the really phenomenal chanjjes wrouj^ht here in that tom- 
parati\ely shf)rt lenjj;th of time, and in addition to h;r - 

proj^ress and buildinji up of a struf^l^lin^; section, has 1: — ' , 

of Kmmo C. Bichowsky, one of the leading factors in Pomona's de- 
\elopment. ami a man of broad insight and keen l> en. I le 

has made his impress felt in the growing communit. .rd of its 

achievements without mention of his part in them would be incomplete. 

Kmmo C. Bichowsky was born in Terre Haute. Ind.. fcbruary 2'>. 
1856, and educated in the public schools of his early environment. His 
first business position was as cashier for Hulman & Cox. of Terre 
Haute: next he was teller in the bank of .McKeen & ( . oi 

Terre Haute, and in IS84 he located in San fiabricl as ii^| ,; . -unty 
tax collector for Los Angeles County. In 1886 he became general 
manager for L. J. Rose & Cf)mpany, Limited, San f jabriel. owners of 
a large winery, the "Sunny Slope X'ineyard" being their property. In 
1897 .Mr. Bichowsky became manager for the California Green and 
Dried I ruit Company of Los .Angeles. 

Mr. Bichowsky had previously bought an interest in the implement 
business of Philip Stein & Company of P<')mona, and in .August. 1809. 
he came here to live, acquired a majority of the stock in that concern. 

and c*^ ; -fn- name to the Pomona Implement Co- - . .. i u, 

he is . r, and which at that time was the large 

kind in the \ alley. Besides his business interests .Mr. Bichowsky en- 
gaged in the citrus i" ' — and is the owner of a tw " " — 
orange grove in San .'•! his trees averaging sixty yL ; 

are hea\ y producers of the seedling variety. 

unitec , _ . - . ] 

their union: Karl died at eight years of aee: Foord. a irraduate of 
Pomona Col! _ the Un 

engineer by p.- .- ;i: ]r • , ^.„ _ .. ;..^ . ,. 

rions. and professor of d cal Laboratory of the Carnegie In- 

s' I). C. - ' r Los .\ngeles. francis 

B.. norcd b. . , _ ■' r'n''- -.-r, -ti. " r,. r,- , '■ ,. 

appointment to National Research P 
try by the National R 

ing the war under the .... ^ >..,.... ..; , . .. 

place at the disposal of the fiovernment the scit 

' .en reor_ on a peace-time 

' . ,•..... .^ .. .;.^ vnd of - . . .rmore. 

As a pii red and influential citizen. .Mr. Bichowskv has 

•akcn an active part in many important movements in the advancement 
■ it Po'-f na's bcft interests: he was one of the organizers of the Pf^mona 



702 lIISTOkN' AND I'.K U'.RAI'IIV 

Board ot' Trade and iiresidcnt of that body for sc\ca years; he was 
the organi/er of the I'onioiia \'alley Hospital and its president for the 
first five years; he was secretary of the Pomona Securities Company, 
which de\-e]oped ninety acres south of Cianesha Park, subdl\ided and 
sold the property, which is a part of the line residence district of the 
city; with others, he was instrumental in the building of the Pacific 
lilectrlc lines into Pomona, and a member of the committee on that 
project; he is \-ice-president and director of the San Gabriel Cemetery 
Association. In politics he is a stand-pat Republican and has twice 
been foreman of the grand jury in Los Angeles County. 

Mr. Bichowsky erected the brick block on the corner o( Third 
Street and (iarey Avenue, which building he now owns and occupies a 
part of it for his business establishment. Prominent in church affairs 
for the past ten years he has been on the board of trustees of the Uni- 
tarian Church here. Fraternally he is a charter member of Pomona 
LodgeXo. 789. B. P. O. i'.lks. 

It is to such men as this that Pomona owes her place as one of the 
leading cities of Southern Califoi-nia, and all honor is due the unselfish 
work they ha\'e done to athance theii- home communlt\' to its present 
substantial position In the state. 



SAMUEL W. McIXTIRE 

A man of sturdy character and habits of industry, which ha\-e 
brought hiiii a competency in a comparati\-ely short time, Samuel W. 
Mclntire has made Pomona his home for the past nineteen years, and 
has, besides de\'eloping his own ranch, taken an active part in the 
planting and developing of other ranches and orchards In the ^"alley. 
Born in Buchanan, Mich., March .30, 1847, he was raised in that 
state. Left an orphan at an early age, he tried to enlist in the Civil 
War, but was too young, so he worked on farms near South Bend, 
Ind., and later taught school for a number of years In Indiana, Michi- 
gan, Kansas and Iowa. 

Mr. Mclntire came to Pomona in 1900, and for a time worked 
on ranches in the N'ailey. With but thirty dollars for the first pay- 
ment, he bought his ranch, on the corner of Glendale and Washington 
avenues, and developed it in a short time to great productiveness, 
making it pay for Itself as a result of his energy anti perse\-erance, and 
in the meantime assisting in the planting and development of other 
ranches In the district. For se\en years of this time he was "Zanjero" 
(in charge of the ditch) on the Kingsley Tract. 

The marriage of Mr. Mclntire united him with Mary M. Miller, 
a nati\e of Indiana, antl se\-en sons ami two daughters were born to 
them: ^^'ile\■ B., a stockman of Iowa; Martin, school teacher in Au- 



liiibon Cc)unt\. lowii: CharK-s !•'. ot Pomona: JaiiKs, in tlic insurance 
Imsincss in San Irancisco; I-"rank served his toiintry in the Liiitcd 
States Army iluring the World War; I'.arl of Pomona; Roy S., siiper- 
intentient ol' a siij^ar factory at Oj^ilen, Ltah; llorence; anil Alice, 
who is deceased; a family to take pride in ami who have taken ailvan- 
tajje of the ^ootl eilucations given them hy their parents. The mother 
passed to her reward in 1915. 



WILLIAM O. LRir/ 

Among the manv \vho ha\e been drawn to the city ol Pomona 
because of its attractions and bright lutiire prospects is William ( ). 
1 rit/. who was born in Medina County. Ohio. October 11. 1852. 

In 1868. when a lad of sixteen, William went to Gratiot County. 
Mich., where his father was a pioneer and the owner of one hundred 
sixty acres of timber land, which he clearcil and farmed. In 187.^ 
William attended the Michigan Agricultural College at Lansing. Mich. 
With characteristic energy and determined purpose, the young man 
workeil his wav through college, teaching in the winter and attend- 
ing school in summer. I le graduated from the institution in 1877. lie 
was township superintendent of schools in (iratiot County, Mich., two 
years. J- or four vears he was district agent for the L nion Central 
Life Insurance Company of Cincinnati. Ohio, with headquarters at 
La Favette, Ind. In 1882 he became foreman of Purdue L'niversity 
State Lxperimental Station at La Fayette. Ind., ami later, when the 
national and state farms were merged, became superintendent of the 
farming and experimental department of the station. In 1902 he pur- 
chased a grain and stock ranch in Marshall County, Ind., and alter 
farming the property tor four years, came to Pomona, Cal., in Novem- 
ber, 1906. After looking around for a time, he purchased his present 
seven and one-half acre orange gro\"e. where he has since lived and 
successfully raised oranges. Since coming to Pomona he has bought 
ami soKl three other orange gro\es. His home place is nicely impro\ed 
anil has protluccd bountifully. 

Mr. Fritz married Miss Elizabeth Shoemaker, who was born ami 
reared at La Fayette. Ind.. and they are the parents of a daughter. 
Mary A., a student in Pomona College. Mrs. Fritz graduated from 
Purdue College in 1884. and in 1886 was the first student to receive 
the degree of master of science from that institution. She taught 
school one year in the La Fayette, Ind., public schools, and also taught 
the botany class one year at Purdue College. 

When the Trinity Methodist Church of I'omona was formed, 
Mr. ami Mrs. Fritz were charter members and helped to build the 
church. .Mrs. Fritz was prominent and very active in the church, was 
enrollment secretary of the Sunday School, was one of the Sunday 



704 IlIS'K )KV AXl) i'.K )C.RAI'11V 

Scliool teachers, and did grand work in helping increase its member- 
ship. The church is still following the plan she formulated. She was 
also secretary of the ladies' circle and of the home missionary society, 
and treasurer of the foreign missionary society for five years, for 
which she raised a large sum of money. She ser\ed one year as presi- 
dent of the hoard of directors of the Da\id and Margaret Home at 
La Verne. 

Mr. I- rit/ ser\ed as director of the Clarcmont Citrus Association 
at one time and later resigned from the association. In 1916 he again 
became a member of the organization and was elected president, the 
office he now hokis. At one time Mr. i'rit/, represented the Claremont 
Citrus Association on the San Antonio Fruit Exchange of Pomona, 
Cal. Mr. Fritz is also president and manager of the Kingsley Tract 
Water Company, and both he and his wife are members of the Pomo- 
logical Club of Claremont, of which his wife is treasurer. Both are 
members of the First Congregational Church at Claremont. He is a 
director of the drowers Fumigation and Supply Company of Pomona. 



IRA D. BAILEY 

A man who thoroughly understands the technical problems of the 
field he set out to master is Ira D. Bailey, who has contributed to 
the developing of California, and who is prominent in Odd Fellow 
circles. He was born at Augusta, in Kennebec Comity, Maine, on 
January 25, 1877, and was educated at the local public and the Cony 
High School. 

Lea\-ing school, he worked In the Bodwell dranite Works at 
Hallowell, Maine, ami at the same time played the xiolin in orchestral 
work and made himself somewhat locally famous for balls and otiier 
festal occasions. He thus prepared lii'mself to meet with any kintl of 
healthv, honest human nature, and in time took the move which 
brought him in ilirect contact with the \aried types of western life. 

In 1S99 .Mr. Bailey came to Pomona, and here he was soon busy 
installing aiui ojierating irrigating plants throughout the \"alley. He 
entered the engineering department of the Pomona \'alley Ice Com- 
pany in 1908, and so well has he ser\ed theni that he has been their 
chief engineer for about eight years. 

When a young man in Augusta. Mr. Bailey joined the Odd Fel- 
lows; and, on coming to Pomona, he was transferred to the Pomona 
Lodge and all its branches. Now he is among the most active and 
influential in that \\idely-establishe(.l and excellent fraternity. He is a 
past noble graml, a past chief patriot and a past commandant of the 
canton. He also belongs to the Woodmen of the World. 

The wedding of Mr. Bailey and Miss Martina \ . Hatton, a 
nati\-e ol Missouri and the daughter of Jennie Y. Huddleston of Co- 



HISTORY AND I'.K iCKAPI IV 705 

vitKi. (.cairrcd at Covina, Aii^mst 2. 1905, aiul tlicy have one eiauRhtcr. 
Virginia Mav, born September. 19(lS. The family attend the First 
Christian Church. Pomona has a tuturc. and one that cannot tail to 
arouse the imagination; and much of it will depend on just such 
young men as -Mr. Bailey, one of the most conlident and enthusiastic 
of her citizens. 



CHARLI'.S J. BOO III 

The representative in America of an old l-'.nglish family, Charles 
J. Booth of Pomona was born in Lancashire. I'.ng.. .May 16, 1858. 
His father, who was a schoolmate and personal frienil of the famous 
English advocate of free trade, John Bright, was the owner of a 
cotton-spinning factory in I'.ngland, and young Charles was bookkeeper 
and accountant in his father's factory in his younger days. 

Thirty-eight years have elapsed since he sailed from his English 
home for the shores of America, where, a young man of twenty-three, 
he arrived at Boston, Mass.. September 19. 1881. He found employ- 
ment at Lowell, .Mass.. as bookkeeper for J. C. Ayer & Company, the 
famous patent medicine manufacturers. After spending six years m 
their employ he came to California, arriving at Los Angeles in 1887. 
where he became correspondent clerk for the wholesale grocers. M. A. 
Newmark & Company. In 1889 he went to Pasadena and engaged 
in the grocery business, conducting a store on Lake Avenue. Attracted 
to Pomona by its bright future prospects and beautiful and congenial 
surroundings, he came to this city to make a home in August. 1898. and 
for sixteen years he and his wife conducted the European Rooming 
House on Parcells and West Second streets. During this time and 
later, for nearly eighteen years, he was in the employ of Loud and 
Gerling, fruit packers, in the capacity of bookkeeper. In 19(18 Mr. 
Booth erected two houses on land that he had acquired in Pomona, and 
afterwards exchanged this property for his present ten-acre ranch at 
LUl East Phillips Boulevard. This land, originally a barley field, he 
set to Tuscan cling peaches in 1910, and now has one of the best 
developed peach orchards in the \'alley. His success in peach culture 
testitics to the care bestowed upon his orchard in giving the right 
amount of water, fertilizer and cultivation, the wise ailministration ot 
which is of vital importance in producing the best results. In 1918 the 
orchard yielded forty-four tons of fruit, and the crop for 1919 exceeds 
this. Mr. Booth started hatching the White Leghorn strain of poultry 
with a modern incubator, with the intention of increasing his tlock to 
LOOO or more laying hens. 

In selecting a life partner his choice fell upon Harriett d. l-.ccles, 
a native of England, to whom he was united in marriage. Their union 



706 HISTORY AXD moGRAriTY 

was IiIcsslhI In the birth of a tlau^hter, now Mrs. Helen M. Cleveland 
of I'oinona. In rclijfious associations Mrs. Booth is a member of the 
Pilgrim Conyiregational Church. 



RFV. CHARLES R. HUDSON 

A man who wouUl have made his mark in any walk of life, and 
who in his chosen vocation has proven of inestimable worth in the 
great work to which he has been called, as pastor of the I^rst Christian 
Church of Pomona, Rev. Charles R. Hudson is but emphasizing those 
traits of character which have made him a prominent iigure in the 
field of Christianity throughout the country. Born in Jennings County, 
Ind., he was reared there in a Christian home and a Christian com- 
munity. Receiving his preliminary education in the public schools, in 
1890 he entered college at Lexington, Ky., and later took a classical 
course at Butler College, Indianapolis. In 1897 he graduated from 
the department of psychology and philosophy at the Indiana State 
Uni\-ersity, and then took a post-graduate course at Yale LTniversity, in 
1898 and' 1899. 

Reverend Hudson's first charge was at Franklin, Iiul., from 1897 
to 1904, during which time he built a new church there and strength- 
ened the congregation, increasing the membership to 1,050. Called 
to Frankfort, Ky., for the next se\-en years he was a most efficient 
pastor there, and at the same time active in the affairs of the city: was 
president of the Building and Loan Association, and of the Associated 
Charities, aiul also actei,! as curator of Trans\l\ania L ni\erslt\' at 
Lexington, Ky. 

In October, 1911, Re\erend Hudson \\as calleil to his [iresent 
charge in Pomona, and he has answered the call with all the force 
of his character and personality. He has promoted a religious and 
educational program in the church and Sunday School, which latter 
reached 1,200 members. In attendance and size, his church is one 
of the largest and strongest of its denomination on the Coast, no small 
honor when considering the manv beautiful Christian Churches that 
are active In Lds Angeles ami other parts of tlie state. 

Re\'erend Hudson has succeeded in working out a modern educa- 
tional program that pro\-ides, not only for a thorough knowledge of 
the word of God. but for ti'alning in Christian character and for 
ser\ice In \-arious departments of Cliristian aiul |ihIlanthropIc work. 
His church has recently called a imi\-erslty young man, T. Charles 
Mlllei-, as eiiucational lilrector, and he has been made dean of the 
entire educational program of his church. L'uder the super\-ision of 
Mrs. Royal J. Dye, a school of missions Is contlucted in this church 
each vear, anil at present ele\eii \oung people are m course of training 
for missionarv work, either at home or abi-oad. This church main- 



niSToRV AM) I'.K tC.KAI'lIV 707 

iain> three missionaries in foreij^n lielils: Dr. L. 1.. I'iekett. at Laoaf^, 
IMiilippine Islands; Mrs. Bessie Farrar MaJsen. at I'endra Road, 
India; and Miss Nina Du Pec. at Nantun^'chow. Kianj.; Su. China; 
and one in Arizona and two in California. 

In addition to his direct church work. Reverend Hudson was 
president of the Red Cross of Pomona durinjr the war period, and has 
been president of the Associated Charities Welfare League of Pomona 
Valley since 1915, and is closely identified with other work tor the 
public good. He was a delegate to the San Francisc() meetings of the 
League of Nations, and was chosen by the general office in New \ork 
as one of the speakers on the Pacific Coast for the Inter-Church World 
Movement of America, the object of which is the cooperation of all 
religious denominations for the Christiani/ation of the world. With 
such men as he at the helm, this wonderful movement shcuild pro\e 
epoch-making in the history of religion and bring far-reaching results 
from every corner of the earth. 

The marriage of Reverend Hudson, which occurred on July 28. 
1906. in Mitchell, Ind., united him with Miss I larriett I lyatt, a native 
of Washington, Ind., and one daughter has blessed their union, Mary 
Hvatt. As a recreation and diversion from his arduous work for 
humanitv, the pastor has interested himself in horticulture, and owns 
a lemon and orange grove in the San Dimas district. Fraternally, he is 
a Knight Templar Mason, and in all things he is broad and liberal in 
spirit, working with a largeness of purpose and a genuine devotion to 
the best interests of his congregation and of the growing municipality. 



LYNN A. BLICKFNSTAFF 

A financier who has made a thorough study of that very impor- 
tant and comprehensive held of business endeavor and to whom much 
of the present success of the First National Bank of La Verne is ilue, 
is Lynn A. Blickenstafi. its present efficient cashier. Mr. Blickcnstatt 
is a native of Cerro Gordo. Piatt County, III., the son of David and 
Hannah Blickenstatf. who were Ohioans and early settlers of Piatt 
Countv, III., and was educated in the public schools of that county, 
after which he attended Mount Morris College, at .Mount .Morns. 111. 

His advent into the banking business was maile in the spring ot 
1908. when he entered the State Bank of Cerro (iordo. III., as a clerk. 
His abilitv ami efficiency were soon recognized, and in August. 191(1, 
Mr. Blickenstaft became assistant cashier of the First National Bank 
of La \erne. Cal. In his new field of operations he soon became 
known as a wise counselor in financial circles and his conservative 
policy has greatly increased the confiilence of the people of La \ erne 
and vicinity in the stability and substantiality of the First National 
Bank of La \'erne. of which .Mr. Blickenstaft became cashier in May. 



708 IIIST( )\<\ AX I) IU()(■,RA1•1I^• 

191 1. The officers of the bank are: K. R. Yundt, presltlent; H. J. 
\'anlman, xice-president ; L. A. Blickenstaft, cashier. The board of 
directors is composed of A. C. Abbott, W. M. Miller, William M. 
Steel, W. S. Romick and O. S. Jewett. 

On May 20, 1912, Mr. Blickenstatt was united in marrias^e with 
Mary D. Brubaker, a native of Indiana, and this union has been 
blessed with two children, Leonard E. and David E. 

Mr. Blickenstaft takes an active part in civic aftairs of La Xevne 
and is always ready to assist e\'ery worthy movement that has as its 
aim the ath'ancement of the educational, social and commercial inter- 
ests of the communitv. 



J. E. CAMPBELL 



o 



Another interesting instance of a Calilornian bv ad<iption wh 
touched the Coast more or less accidentally as a world \-oyager, and 
who then, liking the looks of things, decided to stay, is that of J. E. 
Campbell, the expert machinist, who specializes in repairs of all kinds 
of pumps used in irrigating and waterworks plants, and caters to the 
wide territory extending from El Monte east to Corona, and out as 
far as \'ictor\ille, in San Bernardino County, on the desert. He was 
born at Boston, on Washington's Birthdav, 1865, and attended that 
city's excellent public schools. 

His father was a shipbuilder, l'_,\'an by name, who marrieel Isa- 
bella Scott, and the lad started from Boston, when onl\' fourteen 
years of age, as a passenger on one of his father's ships for a \oyage 
around the M'orld. He sailed around the Horn to the Pacific, then on 
to Honolulu, from which port he arri\ed in San I-'rancisco in 1880. 
Deciding to remain in the Bay City, he became an apprentice to the 
machinist's trade, taking a place with the Byron Jackson Machine 
Works, where he was employed for tweKe years. He then worked 
for the Pelton Water Wheel Company, the Risdon Iron Works, and 
the Union Iron Works, all of San l-'rancisco. ami the Best ^L^nufac- 
turing Company of San Leandro, Alameda Count\-, each of which 
was a first-class concern. In 1906, Mr. Campbell removed to Ri\-er- 
side, u'here he entered the employ of the Riverside Eoimdrv and 
Machine Works. 

Two years later, .Mr. Campbell located in Pomona, and became 
foreman of the machine shop of Lee W^. Matthews, for whom he 
conductcti the establishment until Mr. Matthews sold out to the 
Ranchers Manufacturing Company. Then Mr. Campbell became a 
stockholder in the new concern, and foreman of its machine shop. 
Later, selling out his interest in the Ranchers Company, he entered 
into business lor himself. 

He opened Lip a general machine and repair shop at .'565 South 



IIISTokV AN"! J ilK X'.RAI'IIN' 70 » 

Mair) Street, where he is now Incateii, and where he keeps a crew ot 
eij^ht men busy the year arouml. I le has been closely iilentiheil with 
the water de\elc)pment in the I'oniona X'alley, aiui has thus wcirkeil 
tor most of the water companies in the I'omona district. No more 
expert machinist, it is safe to say, could anywhere be found, nor 
couKi any community appreciate more fully than I'omona has done 
Mr. Campbell's exceptional skill. 

In 1 S94, at San I-rancisco, .Mr. Campbell was marrieil to .Miss 
Klla Whelen, a nati\e of Oakland and the daujj;hter of John W'helen, 
who crossed the great plains to Calllornia in the good okl pioneer 
days. I-our children blessed the union: I- rank enlisted in the L nited 
States Army early in the World War, in the motor truck division, ami 
was U)cated for awhile at Camp I- remont. and at camps in the I.ast, 
but did not get to France; Earl saw active service in France with the 
Three Hundred Sixty-fourth Infantry, Ninety-lirst Division, and was 
wounded in the leg in one of the first engagements, and dischargeil 
from the service; and .Madeline and Raymontl arc both at school. 
The family attend the I-'piscopal Church. Mr. Campbell has reacheil 
all the chairs in the encampment and the Canton ot the Odd lellows. 
antl also belongs to the .Maccabees. 



I.FOYD R. CFARK 

Pomona has been fortunate in ways too numerous to mention, 
and not least among them is in the men it has chosen to carry on 
the public welfare interests; it is by their unfailing teamwork and 
unselfish devotion to the city's progress that much of the latter is due, 
and this fact makes it a city unique in many ways. Among these 
public-spirited citizens may be mentioned Lloyd R. Clark, the popular 
police commissioner, who has been a resident of the community since 
early childhood and has made its interests his own during the years 
when both he and his home section were growing anti developing. 
Born in I'lymouth, Huron County, Ohio, August 16, 1S8.^. Mr. Clark 
is a son of Frederick Fhomas Clark, a business man who marrieil 
Miss Jennie Daniels, a native of Ohio, his birthplace being New 
Jersey. He first brought his family to Pomona on the death of his 
wife, in Ohio, in 1898. Six years later, he passed away here. 

Llovd R. was educated in the common schools ot his neighbor- 
hood, but only until his fourteenth year, for at that early age he 
turned from his books to make his own way in the worKl, anil to help 
shoulder the responsibility of supporting the family, five chililren in 
all, left bereaveil by the early death of the parents. With his eliler 
brother, Cicorge Earl Clark, as a partner, they engageil in the livery 
business, and when the automobile came into common use thev ven- 



710 llIS'i'( )KV AM) I'.K X'.RAl'IIV 

turcd into that ticld ami were among the first in Pomona to enhirti^e 
its uset Illness ni a commercial way. Fhev maintain an up-to-date 
irarage, owning the property on which the brick structure stands, and 
thev probably utilize the largest floor space in the city for their 
increasing business. They are agents, under the name of Clark 
Brothers, for the Oldsmobile and the Maxwell cars for Pomona 
\'alley. They also own a two-thirds interest in the Milner Bottling 
Works, which is also housed in their own building on Gordon and 
lirst streets. In their different enterprises they employ many men, 
and ha\e a good pay roll, such as spells prosperity for any city. The 
Clark brothers ha\e worked together in harmony, putting their shoul- 
ders to the wheel to bring them their well-merited success an<.i to attain 
the position in the business and social world that they both occupy. 

The marriage of Lloyd R. Clark, which occurred at Ri\'erside, 
March 4, 19(17, united him with Miss Leria Slanker, and two children 
ba\e been born to them: Mildred J., who died aged 4 months, and 
Lloyd R., Jr. The family attend the AL>thodist Church. 

:\ supporter of the Republican party, Mr. Clark was appointee! 
police conmiissioner by the unanmious \"ote of the commissioners, to 
fill out the unexpired term of Paid Higgs, who resigned, and his re- 
election to that office shows that his performance of the duties of his 
public office was in e\ery way satisfactory. He is an acti\-e worker 
in the local Chamber of Commerce, and stands ready at all times to 
do his share in the further deyelopment of Pomona as a city, and the 
agricultural interests surrounding it. He is the owner of both city 
and ranch property, and a firm belie\er in the future of his section of 
the state. I'raternallv, he is a member of the Masons and Llks. 



JACOB P. HANSEN 

An experienced American rancher of Danish extraction, who came 
to California and was fortunate in disco\ering the superior ad\'antages 
of I'omona, is Jacob P. Hansen, who was born at Yllen, Denmark, on 
July 21, 1871, where he was reared and educated up to his sixteenth 
year. Then he came to America alone; and having a half-brother in 
Benson County, N. D., he went there and for a while worked for 
wages on a farm. Later he took up a homestead of 160 acres and he 
kept buying land until he owned 800 acres, which he improved with a 
house, barn and the necessary outbuildings. He farmed to grain, ami 
raised line horses of the Percheron breed, and also shorthorn cattle; 
some he exhibited at local fairs. 

Vhe superior attractions of California, however, brought him 
hei-e on a \isit of inspection and he inxestetl in forty-four acres at Tur- 
lock. 111 Stanislaus Count\'; and when he returned Last, it was to ilis- 



HISTORY AND I'.K )C.K.\ri h' 711 

pose of liis propcrt)' tlicrc. In 190'^ he cuinc to i'onioiia, coininccil 
that this would he a line place in which to locate, and since locating here 
he has sold his I'lirlock property. Me bought ten acres at 1.^(14 West 
Fifth Street, part of which was already planted to walnuts; and he set 
out more walnut trees and greatly improved the place. I Ic was so suc- 
cessful in the new venture that froni fi\e acres of big walnut trees in 
1919 he took oxer four tons of nuts; while his peach crop that year 
yicKled him eleven tons. He also owns ten acres of orange groves at 
Arlington, in Riverside County; so that, looking back to the days when 
he came to America a poor boy, and through all the struggles inci- 
tlental to his becoming a "self-maiie" man, he feels a particular pride 
in his American citizenship, conferreel upon hin\ at Devil's Lake. N. D. 
Mr. Hansen's marriage took place at Devil's Lake, June. 1898. 
when he was united with Anna C Benson, a native of Sweilen: and 
eight children have blessed their fortunate union, llmile has been in 
the L nitetl States Navy since September, 1916, ami was gunners mate 
in the war with Ciermany ; Catherine and X'iolet are the next in the order 
of birth; Clarence is in the United States Navy: and Arthur, Ldwartl. 
Victor and Ruth — the latter the only one born in California — are the 
remainder of the promising offspring. Mr. Hansen has taken two 
trips back to his old home in Denmark, and has enjoyed again the old- 
time associations, while still appreciating the land of his adoption and 
the new social ties in such circles as the Modern Woodmen. 



IKA J. CRLE 

It would be harti to tind a community more tilled with people of 
culture and educational attainments than Pomona \'alley. The 
wealth, population and influence of the \'alley has increased wonder- 
hilly with the passing of the years, and this progress is due to the 
public-spirited and loyal citizens who have elected to make their homes 
in such itieal surroundings. 

Ira J. Cree, the efficient postmaster of Claremont, is a native of 
Pennsylvania, born January 7, 1866, in Cleartield Countv, a son of 
William and Lavina (Johnstone) Cree, of Scotch extraction. The 
father was a farmer and lumberman of that state, and thev were the 
parents of five children. Both parents are now deceasetl. 

Ira J. was cilucated in the schools of BloomfieKl. Iowa, the family 
having mf)ved there when he was a small chiKl. He gratluated from 
the high school of that city, ami then entered the Southern Iowa 
Normal School of Bloomtield for a term of two years. .After cotn- 
pleting his education, he taught school in Dakota, now South Dakota, 
for eight years, farming in the summer months and teaching during 
the winter. He was electeil county auditor of I land Countv and 



712 IIIS'I'OKN' AXn I'.K H'.R \l'll\' 

served two terms, making his residence in Mdler, the cinintN' seat, 
afterwards eni);aging in banking ami real-estate business, having organ- 
ized the Hand Countv State Bank in Miller, S. D., ol which he was 
presitlent. 

In 19IIS Mr. Cree came to California, anil settled at Long Beach 
for a short time. Liking the climate and other conditions he decided 
to make California his residence, so returned and settleci his affairs 
and in 1910 he located in Claremont and engageil in the de\-clopment 
of an orange and lemon grove of fifty acres. He was appointed 
postmaster in April, l')15, and was reappointeil in 1919, and has since 
served in that office. Mr. Cree is a director antl one of the large 
stockhoUlers in the j-'irst National Bank of Claremont; is a believer 
in cooperation for fruit growers and a member of the LI Camino F'ruit 
exchange. Mr. Cree has a large circle of friends in the community 
and he and his taniily enter heartily into the social and civic life of 
Claremont. 

Mr. Cree's mari-iage, in (.)ctober, 1893, united him with I'dla 
Miltonberger, and two sons have been born to them: ^^'illiam Harold, 
who served as ensign in the navy during the World War, and George 
Larl, who served in the motor-truck service of the L'nited States 
Army with the rank of corporal. The family attend the Congrega- 
tional Chin-ch. !• raternally, Mr. Cree Is a member of the Masons; 
in jjolitics he is a Democrat. Public-spirited to a large degree, he 
takes part in all movements for the advancement of this section, both 
along educational, civic and commercial lines, and is well infornieii on 
all such projects. 



STACY W. CLAIM*, D.D.S. 

^Mmost a native son — for he was only three years of age when 
first brought to California — Stacy W. Clapp, the well-known dentist 
of Pomona, has grown up with tiie fast-developing commonwealth, and 
growing, has imbibed to the full the California spirit. He was born 
at Ashland, Crafton County, N. H., on January 17, 1882, and is the 
son of the late Lri G. Clapp, a native of \'ermont, who married Miss 
Alice Keyes of New Hampshire, who is now living in Los Angeles. 
Lri Clapp came to California with his family in 1885 and located at 
Covina, where he followed oi-ange growing and tiev eloped a number 
of ranches. Later lie removed to Los Angeles, and in 1911 he died. 
Besides our subject, there were four children. Carl is a druggist of 
Covina; Helen is the wife of Claire Jenks, of Los Angeles; Arthur is 
n rancher of Walnut Park, and Philip lives at Covina. 

Stacy attendetl the grade schools of Covina and grackiated from 
the pi-eparatory ilepartment of Pomona College, Class of 1902. Lour 
years later, he was graduateil from the Dental College of the Univer- 



HISTORY AXl) i;l( )(■.!<. \1'1 IN 713 

sity ot Southern California, lie practiccii his profession in Los An- 
geles tor a short time, and then locateil at l\)mona, where he has lieen 
since 1907. 

While at I'oniona College he was active in athletics, and was a 
member of both the baseball and football teams . He is a member 
of the Los Angeles County Dental .Association and the Tri-Counties' 
Dental Association; he belongs to the l-llks and is a past master ot the 
I'omona lodge of Masons. 

In 1906. and at Los Angeles. Doctor Chipp was marrieil to .Miss 
Fannie X. Hendricks, a native of Kansas, whose parents were Mr. 
and -Mrs. \V. N. Hendricks, of Los Angeles. Two chikiren have 
come to brighten the household — Stacy \V.. Jr.. and Lota Alice. '1 he 
familv attend the Kpiscopal Church of Pomona, and enioy country life 
on the Doctor's fully-developed tirange and lemon ranch of eight acres 
on the Base Line Road. His office is in the Investment Building at 
Pomona, and there, in a well-appointeii suite, fitted with every modern 
convenience, he cares for a constantly-increasing patronage. 



WII.LIA.M .\l. <M.1L\II 

A Scotchman who laid the foundation for his future, enviable 
career in the schools and first-class technical establishments of his native 
land, and then, coming to America, began to apply the fruits oi his ex- 
perience under conditions he might never have found so favorable at 
home, is William M. OgiKie. the rancher of West Holt Avenue, in 
the Packard Orange Grove tract. He was born at Dundee. Scotland, 
on January IS, 1881, and there attended the public schools and 
academv. receiving a good business education. As a result of his ex- 
cellent training, he became a bookkeeper and cashier in the Jute Spin- 
ning and Weaving Manufacturing Company at Dundee. Scotland. 

Migrating to the United States ami California, he came to Po- 
mona and joined the Scotch and Canadian colony in the Packard tract, 
and in 1909 bought an orange grove of )i\e and an eighth acres, which 
was run down. He greatly improved the place, and set out lemons, 
\'alencia and Na\el oranges, and walnuts. He owns a fine modern 
tractor, and does contracting work on other orchards in the tract, culti- 
\ating in all over 1 00 acres. 

On October 24. 1906, .Mr. Ogihie was married at Dundee to 
.Miss Nellie Dick. Her father followed the sea and saileil all over 
the globe; and on one of his early trips, he came to San Francisco when 
that place was a hamlet rather than a town. One daughter, Margaret, 
blesseil their union, and she also was born at Dundee. 

The family attend the lirst Presbyterian Church, and .Mr. Ogil- 
vie participates in civic life and reforms along progressive lines. He 
and his family dispense an old-time, hospitality. 



714 HISTORV AXU lUoCRAl'l IV 

WILLIAM HLXRY SMITH 

The bicigraphy ot tlie Smith taiiiily, dealing as it does with 
■pioneer days both in the P'ast and West, is of unusual interest and full 
of incidents which bear on the history of the times. James A. Smith, 
father of William Henry, was born in Western Reserve, Ohio, and 
iluring his school days was a classmate of James A. Garfield, and a 
personal friend of that eminent statesman in later life. They were 
closely related to the Burnside family, his second cousin being Gen. 
Ambrose ¥.. Burnside. James A. Smith married Maria Hanson, a 
native of South Bend, Ind., and the young couple crossed the plains 
to California in pioneer days, the husband walking the greater part 
of the way while his wife dro\-e one of the wagons, arriving in Hang- 
town in 1 852. 

William Henry Smith was born at Grand Island, on the Sacra- 
mento River, Colusa County, September 10, 1855. Here he was 
raiseil until reaching nine years of age, when the family started East 
once more; tlie\' di-o\e with wagons to Sacramento, and there took 
steamer down the river for San I' rancisco, from which port they em- 
barked for the Isthmus of Panama, and on December 4, 1864, crossed 
the isthmus on the railroad, the young lad's first ride on a train. For 
thirteen years the lamily H\'cd in Li\-ingston County, Illinois. 

In 1874 the father bought a section of land near Artesia, Los 
Angeles County, and In 1876 lie retin-ned to California and located on 
this ranch and lived there until his death, in 1910. Young William 
Henry \\orked with his father on the ranch at Artesia until 1879, the 
year of his marriage, which imlted him with Sadie Law, a native of 
North Hampshire, luigland, who came to the Unitetl States when two 
years old. After his marriage Mr. Smith operated a ranch of his own 
at Artesia, comprising fifty-H\e acres dex'oted to grain and alfalfa. 
From there he went to Matlera County, where he had a ranch of 1,040 
acres, and this he operated until 1912, when he traded his Madera 
holdings for two ranches on Last I-ranklin A\enue, Pomona, raising 
peaches and apricots; after culti\'ating this property for four years, he 
traded it for a five-acre orange grove at Fontana, San Bernardino 
County, and two houses and three lots in San Jose, and other property. 
He is also the owner of a one-fourth interest in a business block on 
San Pedro street, Los Angeles, this property being located in the 
wholesale liistrict In the city. Mr. Smith's first \-isit to Pomona \^-as 
in 1894, when he drove from Artesia with a load of produce; the now 
thriving town was then a village with more saloons than grocery stores; 
he has seen many changes both here and in Los Angeles, which he 
watched grow from a small city, in 1876, to its present size. 

The following children were born to Mr. Smith and his wife: 
Mrs. L. W. Nevens of \'allejo; George A., married and li\ing in Oak- 
land , Nellie M. died at the age of twenty-three; Caroline, wife of 



UlS'n >KV AND I'.K "".K \I•II^ 71? 

D. W . Atuicrson of Pomona; l.coii \V. ciucrcii thi.- L nitcd States 
Army October 5, 1017. was sent to Camp Lewis, later transferred to 
Camp Kearny, he volunteered to ^o across early and went to France 
as a casual; joining the "Yanks" Division September 12. 19 IS. m the 
One Hundred Third Infantry. He served sixty-seven days at the 
front, taking part in all the battles during that time, and came through 
without a scratch, though when he fired his first shot his gun exploded. 
He received his discharge April 19, 1919. and while in I'.ngland visited 
his mother's birthplace; Hope M. of Claremont; and \'eila L., wile 
of Forest Anderson of N'allejo. The mother passeii to her reward 
December 1. 1901. 



FRANCIS 1IAKI)1\(. WIIHI.. I'li.D. 

The colony of people who ha\ e selected Claremont as their home 
are in many respects exceptional people, both as regards education and 
accomplishments. This ideal spot has attracted men from all walks 
of life, scholars, artists, eminent horticulturists, and the more practical 
business man alike have found here the fulfillment of their ideas regard- 
ing an environment in which to spend their days, and they in turn ha\e 
helped to make it what it is, educationally, socially and financially. 

Among these. Francis Harding White tills a place of his own. 
formerly as an educator, and in recent years devoting his time to his 
writings, and also to horticulture. A native of New York State, he 
was born in Attica. October 9. 1862. a son of Richard and .Mary Anne 
(Coleman) White, of I'.nglish and Irish extraction. The father was 
a railroad executive, and his death occurred in Washington, D. C; 
the mother is also deceased. 

Francis Harding White was the seventh child of the seven chil- 
dren born to his parents. His education was started in the public 
schools of Alexandria. \'a., and the Attica Union school. He then 
was prepared for college under private instructors and entered Prince- 
ton University, graduating in 1887 with the degree of A.B., later re- 
ceiving his degree of A..NI. He also took a post-graduate course at 
Flarvard. getting his A.M. in 1898, and degree of Ph.D. in 1912. He 
filled the position of professor of history and political science in the 
Kansas State Agricultural College at Manhattan, Kans., from 1888 to 
1 897. then was instructor in Wellesley College in 1 898-99. I'our four 
years he had charge of philanthropic and educational work in Brook- 
lyn. N. Y. 

After these years spent in useful work in the Fast. .Mr. White 
came to the West Coast ami accepted a position as instructor in Stan- 
ford University in 1904-05. In the latter year he came to Pomona 
College and took a post here as instructor, later becoming professor 



716 IIIS'I'URN AXn I'.IOCkArilV 

ot history in thu college, a position he rctaincil Lintil he retired in 1916 
to gi\e his attention to writing and study and to the de\clopnient of 
his orange gro\"es. 

A writer of some note, Mr. White has published a text book anel 
numerous articles in the I'oliluti/ Scii'inc Oiiiirtrrlx, the Cluiritii's Ri- 
•vic-ic, and the I iidiislniilisi , his text book (uitlining L nited States 
history. 

WHien he married, Mr. White chose for his wife Aliss .Anna Fair- 
chiltl, the ceremony taking place June 24, 1891, at Manhattan, Kans. 
Mrs. \\'hite is a daughter of the lafc Dr. Geo. T. Fairchild, who for 
many years w as Presitlent of the Kansas State Agricultural College, of 
which institution she is a graduate. Six children have been born to Mr. 
and Mrs. White: Arthur, Halsted, Alan, Helen, Irving and Milton. 
A man of exceptional ability and iiiind, progressi\-e in e\ery meaning oi 
the term, Mr. White is greatly esteemed in the community and war- 
rants his position by the interest he has shown in ad\ancing the best 
interests of Pomona \'alley at all times when within his power to do so. 
His recreation is spent in playing golf, aiul the family attend the Clare- 
mont Congregational Church. 



CHARLES H. (iKl'.ASER 

A public-spirited man active in war work and in the extension of 
popular education, who has more than once pro\en a citizen above 
party, and who, therefore, enjoys the respect of all who ha\-e followed 
his career, is Charles E. dreaser, the secretary and manager of the 
Home Builders Loan Association, at 261 South Thomas Street, Po- 
mona. He \\-as born in Ohio, having first seen the light of da\' in Clark 
County on No\ember 29, 1859, and his parents were Michael and 
Barbara A. (Baney) (ireaser. The father died in Den\-er at the age 
of si\tv-si\, while the mother is still In'ing, making her home with our 
subject. She had eight children — li\e boys and three girls — and 
Charles was her second child. 

He was educated at the public schools of Topeka, to which city 
the family mo\ed when he was ten years of age. Then he farmed in 
Kansas until he was twenty-one, and after that he learned the carpen- 
ter's tratle. 1 Ia\ing plenty of ambition, and the necessary capacity 
for work, he stiulietl architecture at night and operated not only as a 
builder, but as a contractor. For se\'eral years he was super\'islng 
architect with large concerns m Denver. 

Coining here in December, 1895, he engaged in real estate and 
insurance for the next ten years, and in March, 1908, he organized 
the company he is at present associated with, assuming his position as 
director, ami commencing that series of prosperous programs which 
has also atiected the prosjK'ritN' of maiu' of Pomona's permanent in- 



II1ST( )\<.\ AM) r.H M'.R AI'llV /17 

tcrcsts. I'lic lloiiie Builders Loan Association has resources to the 
amount of $1,225,000.00, from $25,000 of capital subscribed to the 
above, and a guaranteed capital of SldO.dOO, and a surplus of $25,000 
Mr. Cireaser very naturally belonf^'s to the Chamber ot Commerce and 
leaves no stone unturned to boost whatever the chamber endorses. 
I le has also served on the Board of Education. 

At Topeka, Kans.. Mr. Cireaser was married to Miss Ida \\ i/er, 
on November 20, 18S8, and have two children that arc living. One is 
a son, Arthur D. Greaser; and the other a daughter. Miss Helen J. 
The family attend the Methodist Church. Mr. Greaser is a member 
of the Odd 1-ellows. the l-'.ncampment, Canton and ranks as major on 
the general's stati, and he also belongs to the Rebekahs. 

The Home Builders Loan Association has done much to develop 
parts of the beautiful Pomona Valley and so may be regarded as a 
valuable agency in the upbuilding ot the state itself. 



WllJIAM II. I'KI'.SXELL 

That it pays in dealing with your fellowmen not only to be honest 
and just, but generous and sympathetic, is demonstrated in the career 
of William H. Presnell, the proprietor and manager of the "Golden 
Rule Basketcria," at 105-107 South Garey Avenue, Pomona. He was 
born in Wellington, Sumner County, Kans., on July 24, 1880, and 
there attended the grammar schools, graduating from the Sumner 
County High School with tiie Class of 190.^. His parents were Wil- 
liam J. and Susan (Cunningham) Presnell, and the father followed 
building contracting and farming, the latter after settling in Kansas. 
William took a course in architectural drafting in the Inter- 
national Correspondence School, and for three years thereafter he 
remained in his father's office, drawing plans for buildings. When he 
went to Wichita, Kans.. he entered the employ of the International 
Harvester Company as bookkeeper, becoming cashier, and then, for 
three years, tra\eling auditor: and after that he removed to Wmheld. 
in the same state, where for a couple of years he was associated with 
the Wintield Implement and Vehicle Company. 

In November, 1911. he located in Phcrnix. Ari/.. just when the 
territory was coming into statehood, and was appointed by Governor 
GcorgeHunt a member of the Board of Special Examiners authorized 
to make a survey and install an accounting system for state institutions, 
state offices, boards and commissions, and to provide an accounting 
syste?ii for all county officials in the state in order that they might be 
uniform. He also assisted in installing the accounting system of 
l^htrnix, Ari/.. at the same time that he hail his own offices as a public 
accountant and auditor in the Walker Building at Phcrnix. 

.Mr. Presnell came to Pomona in November, 1916, and became 



718 IIIS'I'( )R\' AXl) I'.K )(',R Al'in' 

associated with the "\\'hite House Groceteria" as assistant manager 
and half owner. He sold out his interests there, however, in March, 
1919, and on May 20 of the same year he established and opened " The 
Golden Rule Basketeria" at 105-1(17 South Garey Avenue, which has 
been a success from the start. The store was remodeled under the 
direction of the proprietor, and made modern in every respect, with 
the latest and most approved fixtures. Everything sold in his estab- 
lishment is of the freshest and highest quality. 

Mr. Presnell takes his motto from the ennobling sentiment in the 
Golden Rule, "Therefore all things, whatsoe\-er ye would that men 
should do to you, do \e e\en so to them;" and he not only strives to 
put this sentiment into daily use in every transaction throughout his 
extensive establishment, but he has made the reputation of his store 
more witlely known by a cartl, reading as follows: "Our aim always 
to please, our goods to ha\e quality, our service courteous." An 
orchestra is in attendance Saturday afternoons and evenings, and 
affords just the uplifting entertainment desired. As might be expected, 
Mr. Presnell Is an active member of the Pomona Chamber of Com- 
merce. 

At Payson, 111., Mr. Presnell and Alice Stewart were united in 
marriage on December 25, 1906, and they have three children : Ralph, 
Mikireei and Lillian. Mrs. Presnell, who is a daughter of Cyrus and 
Margaret Stewart, farmer folk of Adams County, 111., shares with her 
husband the esteem and good will of a large circle of friends. 



MILTOX W. ZANDER 

It is hardly possible at the present day to fully estimate the influ- 
ence that wonderful convenience of the twentieth century — the automo- 
bile — has played in the colonization of desert wastes and the building 
of cities in places formerly remote from the centers of habitation. 
Suffice to say that some of our brightest business men are engaged in 
the automobile industry. 

Among Pomona's enterprising and successful citizens who are 
engaged in handling automobiles is Milton W. Zander, the proprietor 
of a garage at 150 East Monterey Street, and agent for the Hupmobile 
and Briscoe cars. Mr. Zander is a Wisconsin boy by birth, and first 
saw the light of day in the Badger State in Clark County, November 
10, 1886. He was reared and educated in Elgin, 111., and came to 
Pomona in 1903, a youth in his teens. For four years he served an 
apprenticeship as machinist in the plant of the Pomona Manufacturing 
Company, and spent one year on gas engines. In 1908 he engaged in 
the auto repair business on his own account, having a small shop of 
two rooms. As the business grew he erected a small garage, and later 
built the fine modern building which he now occupies. In connection 



llISTi )RV AND l;li >C.K \ril\' 71'' 

with the business he runs a tirst-class machine shop anJ maintains a 
ser\ice which is an important factor in makinj^ his sales, tor his jiatrons 
know that he can be relied upon to make a car satisfactory to the pur- 
chaser, and the name — Milton W. Zander — stands tin- (juali'v and 
satisfaction 

In 1919, Mr. Zander won a beautiful silver cup offered lor cars — 
costing at factory Sl2U0 or under — in the Los Angeles-^Osemite run; 
he made the run with a Briscoe, covering the .174.5 miles on thirteen 
gallons of gasoline, averaging 28.8 miles to the gallon, and since it was 
the first time he had e\ er been o\er the route and unfamiliar with 
same, could have lioubtless made a still better record had he been 
familiar with the roads. On No\ember 8, 1919, in an official test, 
Mr. Zaiuler, with three passengers, in a Briscoe four-cylinder car, made 
a world's recortl for economy tor tour-cylinder cars by making 51.2 
miles on one gallon of gasoline. Besities his automobile agencies Mr. 
Zantler also handles trucks and tractors and his garage stamls for all 
that is to be desired in a moiiern motor car business, an example of 
the business ability and fair methods of its owner. 

I he marriage of Mr. Zaiuler, which f)ccurred in Riverside, united 
him with .Miss I-ltfie Whipp, a nati\e of Missouri, and two children 
have been born to them, Dallas and I'llis. Iraternaliy, .Mr. Zander 
is a member of the Knights of Pythias. In his church affiliations he is 
a member of the First Christian Church of Pomona, and in business 
circles he is acti\e in the work of the local Chamber of Commerce. 



ROY IHSroN 

The citrus fruit industry is one of the greatest antl most important 
industries of Southern California, and Roy Huston, foreman of the 
packing house of the San Dimas Lemon Association, is well equipped in 
knowledge of the various phases of citrus culture for the responsible 
position he holds. He was born in (jarden City, Cass County, Mo., 
July 20, 1883. the son of William J. Huston, who was born in Illinois, 
of New England ancestry, and who came to Cass County, Mo., when 
a young man. Mrs. Huston before her marriage was Miss Gertrude 
Lotspeich, born in Cass County, and descended from an old Southern 
family. Ihey followed farming there until the mother died in 1908, 
when Mr. Huston sold out and retired to Kansas City. Of their six 
children, Roy is the eldest. He spent his younger years among rural 
surroundings, experiencing the usual life of a boy reared on a farm, 
attending the public schools. In 1905. when twenty-two years of age, 
he came to Pomona, Cal.. where for three years he was in the employ 
of the American Beet and Sugar Company as foreman of the filtering 
department at their factory in Chino. During the winter months, 
when the factory was not in operation, he found employment in the 



720 IIISTORV A\l) r.inCRAPHV 

orange and lemon groves of the \'a!ley, gaining a thorough knowledge 
of the citrus fruit industry. In 1908 he entered the employ of the San 
Dimas Lemon Association at San Dimas as night watchman of the 
plant. Later he was picking foreman in the lemon orchards of the 
association, and in 1*)1.1 was transferred to The Limoneria Company, 
at Santa Paula, of which C. C. Teague is the manager. While with 
this company he was general manager of the lemon picking crews, and 
after three and one-half years in their employ he returned to San 
Dimas and became foreman of the packing house of the San Dimas 
Lemon Association, his present position. Not only an expert on 
lemon culture, Mr. Huston is also a young man of superior executive 
ability and sound judgment, and his valuable services are appreciated 
by his employers. He is also president and general manager, as well 
as one of the organizers, of the Citrus Improvement Company of San 
Dimas. This company owns 320 acres at the mouth of the San Dimas 
Canyon which they are improving and planting to lemons, having al- 
ready fifty-five acres in cMxhard. fhe ranch is known as the Highland 
Home ranch. This is a highly developed grove and the stockholders 
in the company, of whom there are fifteen, plan to increase the grovC 
to ninety acres in lemons. 

In San Dimas Mi-. Huston was married to Miss l^lla Smith of 
Pittsfield, 111., and they are the parents of four children, r'velyn, 
Leonard, June and Ida Xadine. 



MRS. IDA E. ABORN 



A woman of culture and refinement, who has amply demonstrated 
that she can manage an important California ranch antl bring it to a 
high state of culti\ation, is Mrs. Ida E. Aborn, one of the prominent 
residents of South Sycamore Avenue, Claremont. She is a native of 
Harrington, R. I., where she was popular as Miss Ida E. Peck, the 
daughter of Asa Peck, a descendant of an old Colonial family promi- 
nently identified with the successful conduct of the Revolutionary War 
and the securing of oLir independence from Great Britain. She is a 
lineal descendant of Joseph Peck, who emigrated from old Hingham, 
England, to New Hingham, Mass., in 1638. One of his descendants 
bought land from the Indians, a farm that Mrs. Aborn's father owned 
and where she was born, and it is still in the possession of the Peck 
family. After a while, she lived for four years in Montclair, N. J., 
where her personality won her many friends; then she went to Ger- 
many to educate her children in Leipsic, the great musical center and 
book market of the world, and there for four years enjoyed advan- 
tages not then found in the New World, still in its process of 
formation. 

On her return to America, Mrs. Aborn fortunately directed her 



HISTORY AND lUOGRAI'l IV "-1 

pathway toward the Pacific, and with her children located at Claremont 
in the Pomona \'allcv. In 1908 she bought her present orange ranch 
c.t ten acres on South Sycamore Ayenue, Claremont-a tract o raw 
land which she has deycloped into a fine place. She has erected a hand- 
some, comfortable home and the usual outbuildings, and already has 
one of the most attractiye ranches of its size for miles around. 

Not less than seyenteen yarieties of fruit arc on the place, besides 
her oranges, for she has a good family orchard of apples, peaches 
pomelos, figs, almonds, apricots and grapes, all personally supcry.sed 
by her This daily superyision of the estate is both a pleasurable duty 
and an inspiration to her. and in thus directing the ranch a flairs, she 
points the way in a yery interesting manner for other women of Cali- 
fornia to follow. 

Two children gaye Mrs. Aborn joy and comfort. A jlanghter. 
Trances, herself the mother of three children, is the wife of 1- rank H. 
MacDougall. a professor in the Uniyersity of Minnesota: and a son. 
Barton, who married and became the father of two children, died at 
the promising age of twenty-four. .Mrs. Aborn is an attendant ot the 
Congregational Church of Claremont, and took part in Red Cross and 
other war work; and she is a member of the Claremont Chapter o 
the Daughters of the American Reyolution. whose research and 
memorial work recall the days when her pioneer ancestors bought their 
land from the Imlians. 

J. HARM V di:i:ri'. b..\., d.d. 

Noteworthy among the actiye and talented ministers on the 
Pacific Coast. J.Haryey Deere, pastor of the I-irst Baptist Church ot 
Pomona, is known throughout the state and in Arizona as an orator 
and public speaker and a most successful worker in his Master s vine- 
yard Broad and liberal in spirit, sincerely deyout in his conyictions, 
he is a practical Christian, and his kindly, sympathetic nature makes 
him a true minister of the gospel and a helper of men. A Huent and 
convincing speaker, he reaches all walks of life, and an earnest effort to 
. save men to the highest purposes pervades all his works, his strong 
moral force impressing young and old. and making him a power tor 
good in the community. 

Mr Deere first saw the light of day in Montgomery County. 
Ind .August 31. 1871. After finishing his preliminary schooling he 
attended normal school at Valparaiso, Ind., teaching one year there- 
after In 1894 he became a student at Wabash College, Crawfords- 
yillc, Ind.. and during his college days there was active in athletics, 
playing on the ball team two seasons, one ot which he held the bat- 
ting record of the team. In 1897 he was graduated from I-ranklin 
College. Franklin. Ind.. with the degree of A.B.. and three years 



/_'_' HISTORY AND BlOGRArHV 

later became an alumnus of the Rochester Theological Seminary of 
Rochester, X. Y. Fi\e years thereafter he took a post-graduate 
course in theology at the Baptist Seminary, Louisville, Ky. 

After thort)ugh training and study for his life work, Mr. Deere 
took as his first charge, the First Baptist Church of Lima, Ohio; after 
a successful pastorate of two years the necessity of seeking health for 
the family dro\e him into Dixieland, where he took charge of the 
Carson-Newman College Church, and in addition to his pastoral re- 
sponsibilities he supplied occasionally the chair of philosophy and logic 
in the college. 

In 1907 Air. Deere came to Redlands, Cal., and after three years 
in Southern California he responded to an unsought call to the First 
Baptist Church in Phoenix, Ariz., where for five years he met with 
wonderful success, baptizing 195 con\'erts and recei\^ing some 1000 
people into the church. While there his Alma Alater honored him 
with the degree of Doctor of Di\inity. As things go in a minister's 
life. Doctor Deere next found himself ser\ing as pastor of the First 
Baptist Church of Fresno, Cal. While in that city he became the 
minister member of the Rotary Club, an organization of business men 
with one representati\'e from each classification of business. This gave 
him touch with the business interests of the city anel helped to increase 
his responsibility in the making of public addresses. While in Fresno 
he was also one of the Four Alinute Men. 

In the spring of 1918 Doctor Deere came to Pomona in charge 
of the First Baptist Church, and during his short time here has built 
up the work to no inconsiderable extent. Fiis church has one of the 
largest Sunday schools of any Baptist organization of the state. It 
was loyal to the core to our country's call for men, sending more than 
eighty of the Hower of its manhood, and as remarkable as it seems all 
of these men, save one, came back. Besides his active ministerial 
labors the subject of this sketch is the author of several printed sermons 
and pamphlets. He is a Alason, and a man of geniality and nobility 
of character, with his heart in his work of redemption. 

The marriage of Doctor Deere, in 1897, united him with Cora 
A. James, a native of Montgomery County, Ind. To them three chil- 
dren ha\-e been born, Maurice and James passing on in tender years, 
while a little daughter of four, Bettie Mae, remains to challenge hope 
and crystallize ambition. Mrs. Deere has been a true helpmate to 
her husband: a woman of many talents, acti\e in church work, a leader 
in the educational work of the church, musical in temperament and 
training, a writer of \erse, excelling also in landscape and china 
painting. 

The First Baptist Church of Pomona, sitLiateii on the corner of 
Holt ami Ciarey a\enues, is a modern edifice with a seating capacity of 
1700, and being the largest auditoi'ium In the city, the building is inuch 



lIlSTi )KV AM) IU( H-.K Al'in 72.^ 

in ilcinanii for union mcctinj^js of ii religious nature. Mic tirst i.lnircli 
of this LicnoMiinution in the city was organized in lS7n by the Rev. 
R. C. Fryer, in the Spatlra schoolhouse, with just twelve souls m at- 
tendance.' In 1883 the Rev. M. Latourettc, a missionary of the Los 
Angeles Baptist Association, was sent here to organize a church, the 
Spadra people agreeing to have their place of worship changcil to 
I'omona, which was done October. 1883. Regular services were held 
in an old house on I'ourth Street; later a house of worship was erected 
on the corner of Ellen and Fourth streets, and the Rev. J. I'. Moodv 
became pastor in August. 1884. with a congregation of forty-eight, 
which by 1889 had been increascil to 150 members. The present 
beautiful church edifice was erected in 1910. 



WAIllK r. DAVIS 

Like manv other successful young men of Pomona Valley, the 
career of Walter T. Davis began amidst the orange groves ot the 

Vallev. 

He is one of the many sons of Missouri who have ventured 
farther west in their ijuest for a livelihood ami have met with the well 
deserved success that belongs as a rightful heritage to habits of indus- 
try and thrift. He was born in Berry County. .Mo.. April 25, 1881. 
and came to Pomona in 1892, when eleven years of age, with his 
adopted father, T. B. Copeland. Finishing his education in the Po- 
mona public schools, he was engaged for three years on the Charles 
Loud ranch and an additional three years in the Packard Orange Cirove 
Tract. He assisted in planting and budding many trees and helped 
set out two-thirds of the Loud ranch. I'orming a partnership with 
Edward Levengood. they conducted the Pioneer Livery Stable in I'o- 
mona for two years. Later he sold his interest to his partner and en- 
gaged in buying and selling horses, conducting sales anil li\ery stables 
very successfully. In 1913 he bought his present orange grove on 
North Weber Avenue, at Pomona, where he is now the owner of a 
thirteen-acre grove of Navel and Valencia orange trees that arc pro- 
lific yieldcrs for twenty-year-old trees, averaging from live acres 3000 
boxes of fruit yearly. 

In his choice of a helpmate he selected Miss Jessie Beck, with 
whom he was united in marriage in 1900. She is the daughter of J. C. 
Beck, one of the early settlers at Covina, Cal.. and they are the parents 
of three children: Ross O.. Howard L. and Clarabell. 

More than two decades have elapsed since his lot was tirst cast 
in Pomona X'alley, anil Mr. Davis has witnessed many changes in 
Pomona in that time. He is full of interesting reminiscences relating 
to experiences among the orange groves of early days. I- raternally he 
is identifieil with the Loyal ( )rder of Moose. 



724 HISTORY AND HloC.RAl'HY 

FRANK W. KNIGHT 

Prominent among the successful business men of the younger 
generation in Pomona, I- rank \\'. Knight has risen to a position of trust 
and responsibihtv through his own capacity as a man of energetic, 
thorough and progressive business abilities. That he inherited these 
traits of character is self-evident, for he is the son of the late Frederick 
W. Knight, who was iilentified with the citrus industry for the past 
twenty-two years and was known to practically every large citrus 
grower in the state. Frederick \V. Knight was born in Montpelier, 
\"t., but removed with his parents to Illinois when a small boy. On 
coming to California in 1897, his interests centered in the industry in 
which he remained until a short time before his eleath. Always an 
acti\'e man, he carried heavy burdens of business until he was broken 
in health at the time he resigned from his position as manager of the 
Tustin Lemon Association, and on March 1, 1919, he suffered a slight 
stroke of paralysis from which he never completely recovered, gradual- 
ly growing worse until he passed away June 11, 1919, aged sixty-four 
years, at the family residence in Pomona. He was a member of the 
First Christian Church and also of the Odd Fellows lodge. A man 
widely known and universally liked, his death in the prime of life has 
left a \oid in the hearts of all who knew him. He is surviveci by his 
widow and four sons and fi\e daughters: Frank W. Knight, of this 
review; Roy I^ . Knight of Yorba Linda; Roscoe W. Knight, who was 
in the go\ernment ser\ice in Siberia and returned home No\-ember 7, 
1919; Donald L., a student in the Pomona High School; Mrs. FfRe 
Hyatt of Cle\eland, Ohio; Mrs. W. M. Boston of San Dimas; Mrs. 
William Randall of San Dimas; Artie M., of Pomona, and Ray, of 
Pomona. 

Frank W. Knight was born in Dallas County, Mo., In 1883. and 
when thirteen years old he came to California with his parents. The 
family first located in Santa Paula, \'entura County, and after finishing 
his schooling, Frank W. started his business career as chore boy on the 
Limoneira Rancho, later took up the packing house work with that 
same company and has remained in his chosen line of work since that 
first beginning. 

From Santa Paula Mr. Knight went to the Porterville and Exeter 
section, in Tulare County, and worked In the orange packing houses, 
and later to the San Jose fruit section, where he worked In deciduous 
fruits, thus gaining a thorough knowledge of all branches of the busi- 
ness. Coming to Southern California in 1904, he became foreman, 
March 15, 1909, of the Cucamonga Lemon Association's packing 
plant, and in one year's time was promoted to manager of the plant, 
remaining with them In that capacity for three and one-half years. 

On October 1, 1913, Mr. Knight became manager of the Indian 
Hill Citrus Association of Pomona, and in 1916 was elected secretary, 



HISTORY AND I'.Ior.RAl'HN 725 

the youngest man to hold a like position in the Pomona X'alley. He 
stillholds these offices, after six years of continuous service, a record 
which speaks for itself. The packinjj plant is one of the first to ho 
built in the X'alley, and has been enlarged and remodeled trom time to 
time, a precooling plant and an ice-manufacturing plant ha\e been 
built on the premises, making it one of the most modern and complete 
plants in the state. It has a storage capacity of fifty carloads of 
oranges, and 700 carloads are shipped yearly. The personnel of the 
association is as follows: President, V.. T. Sederholm; vice-president. 
IT. B. Davis: secretary and manager. F. W. Knight, all of Pomona. 

Besides his business interests. Mr. Knight is interested with R. L. 
Knox and \ictor Young in orange and walnut groves in the \'alley. 
His marriage united him with (irace Ncal, a native daughter of the 
state, born at Whittier. and one daughter was born to them, Rita 
.May: the wife and mother passed away in January, 1919. i be 
familv are members of the I'irst Christian Church. I'raternally .Mr. 
Knight has been a member of the Odd Fellows lodge since his twenty- 
first birthday, and he is also a member of the Knights of Pythias of 
Pomona. 

Pomona mav well be proud of such men as Frank \V. Knight, and 
her rapid and substantial growth is a demonstration of their whole- 
hearted civic pride and progressive work toward upbuilding the section 
of the state surrounding their home community. 



M.\CI B. DOUTT 

One of the rising young men of Pomona and its expanding, 
flourishing environs, who has gone ahead rapidly, thereby keeping pace 
with the town, is Mace B. Doutt, the foreman of the College Heights 
Orange and Lemon Association packing house at Clarcmont, who was 
born in Hitchcock County. Xebr.. on December 19, 1888, and when 
eleven years old came to La \'erne, Cal., with his parents. He was 
educated at the La \'ernc public schools, and growing up has been 
engaged in the orange and lemon industry ever since. In 191 2 he bought 
an orange ranch of five acres in La \'erne, v.hich he de\elopetl ami 
fully improved: and three years later he sold the property at a good 
bargain. When he was only fourteen he commenced to pick oranges, 
and at seventeen he started to work in the packing houses. He had 
thus already had some valuable experience with oranges before he 
came to own a grove for himself. 

In 1913 he commenced to work for the packing house of the Col- 
lege Heights Orange and Lemon Association at Claremont, and early 
in 1918 he was made foreman of the plant. He now owns a ranch of 
sixty acres in .Merced County, in the San Joaquin X'alley, which is plant- 



;_'(. lllST()R^■ A\i) I'.n )C,RAi'[iv 

cd to alniDiuis, tlie trees — four years old — just coming into bearing. 
This ranch in particular has a great future, and anyone might be proud 
to possess so handsome a young estate. 

Mr. Doutt was married at La \'erne on June 5, 1912, to Miss 
Adele Bussey, a native of La \'erne, who has the distinction of being 
one of the first white children to have been born in the town. She is the 
daughter of Albert Bussey, born in \'irginia, a pioneer of La \'erne, 
who came there when there were only six houses in the town. Ah-s. 
Doutt's mother was Mary Sallee before her marriage, and her parents 
were J. P. ami Jutlith A. Sallee, born in Mt. Sterling, Ky., and Missouri 
respectively. Mr. Bussey was foreman of the Mills Tract on Lincoln 
A\enue, and was one of the first men to set out, impro\'e and de\-elop 
orange gro\es in the district. He brought the buds from the famous 
Sunnvsiile grove at Redlands. Two children ha\e blessed the union 
of Mr. and Mrs. Doutt, and thev bear the good old names of Jane 
and Richard. 



ALBERT R COXDIT 

A sturdy pioneer of the early nineties, whose coming to Pomona 
meant the addition of another successful man of affairs to a commun- 
ity already strong in prosperous men, is Albert P. Condit, who was 
born in Delaware County, Ohio, in 1842. When only fourteen, he re- 
moved to Iowa with his parents, where he began to farm; and at the 
promising age of nineteen, when a young man usually is anibitious to 
set out in earnest on his own career, he responded to the call of the 
distressed nation and enlisted in the C'\v\\ War, joining Company H 
of the Fourteenth Iowa Infantry. He took part in the battles of Fort 
Donaldson and Shiloh, and during the latter contest was captured, with 
nearly 3000 others, on Sunday, April 6, the very day that witnessed 
the death of the Confederate General, Albert Sidney Johnston, for- 
merly of Los Angeles and Pasadena — as a result of which he ser\ed 
in a rebel prison in Chaba, Ala., and Macon, Ga., two months. 

After the war, and until 1881, Mr. Condit farmed in Iowa, and 
then he removed to Ames, in the same state, where he embarked in 
the clothing business. Later, he \entured into real estate and insurance. 
and after that he owned a farm of 160 acres in Hamilton County, 
Iowa, rhen he li\ed for a while in (jrinnell, and from Iowa, in 189.^ 
he came west to California. 

On settling in Claremont, Mr. Condit ran a feed and fuel business 
for se\'en years, at the same time that, as a kind of "side line," he con- 
ducted a real estate and insurance office. Then he mo\ed to Highland 
Park and later to Pomona. 

On Decembei" 31, 1871, and at Marshalltown, Iowa, Mr. Condit 
\\as married to .Miss Kate O. Rice, a nati\e of Iowa antl the daughter 



IllSToKV AND lllor.K Al'llV 111 

of Lucian Rice and Mlizabcth (Allen) Rice, liy whom he has had two 
sons and t)ne liaughter. A. Ray Condit was with the V. M. C. A. in 
biisv France nine months, while C. Cliftord Condit resides in Pomona: 
Kate was an accomplished musician ani.1 taught Irench, Cjerman and 
music, and was active in building up Claremont College, leading the 
glee clubs and choirs. She married Silas Brimhall. M.D., ami passed 
away in 1913. 

l-ew men are more popular than .Mr. Comlit in fraternal circles, 
being especially active in N'icksburg Post, Cj. A. R., ot I'omona; and 
few men are more esteemed in religious circles, the Congregational 
Church of I'omona claiming our subject as an exemplary deacon. 



F.AKIN BROrill-RS 

.\ tinely-equipped plant — by many persons of experience and im- 
partial juilgment declaretl to be the best in all Pomona N'alley — and 
one that reHects the highest credit not only on the proprietors who 
brought it into action ami now maintain and operate it, but on the 
locality in which it is established, ant! which generously supports it, is 
the up-to-date and thoroughly sanitary dairy of F^akin Brothers, a 
Hrm composed of Charles M. ami Ireeman M. I'.akin. Charles was 
born in Wausau, Wis., on December l'^, 1S9(I, and Ireeman in I^igin, 
111., on August 19, 1892. The dairy is on Fast Cucamonga Avenue, 
Claremont, and is often \isited bv those interested in dairy problems 
antl wishing to see an illustration of "the last won!" in dairy science. 

The father of these enterprising and well-informed young men 
was Re\-. John A. Flakin, a de\otetl minister of the gospel, now de- 
ceased, who preached throughout the Middle West for many years 
and in 1909 came to Claremont. Here he established the dairy in a 
modest fashion, ami later the sons took over the property and greatly 
enlarged and improved the same. Their mother was Jessie Morgan 
before her marriage, and she makes her home in Claremont. 

There are ten acres in the ranch, and a line modern barn for the 
thirty-five Holstein and Jersey cows. The stock is of the best, with 
the result that the milk and cream, 100 gallons of which are delivered 
daily to Claremont, is much sought by those appreciating the purest 
possible milk. The cow barn has cement Hoors and is sanitary in every 
way. The milk house, too, contains all the motlern appliances and im- 
pro\ ements. An electric brush is used for washing the bottles, and all 
bottles are placed in the sterilizing room, where they are steamed to a 
heat of 180 degrees. I'here is also a machine for cooling the milk, 
while the cement Hoors add to the coolness of the atmosphere. 

Some of these strictly up-to-date arrangements are the result of 
serious study of dairying by the eKler br'ither, Charles I'.akin, who 
passcii a number of seasons near Fllgin, 111., the great dairv district, 



728 HISTORY AXl) llloGRArHV 

and learned all the details of the business. He also attended the dairy 
school of the Iowa State College at Ames, Iowa, and thus further per- 
fected himself. For nine months, too, he was a student at Pomona 
College, while Freeman, his brother, was graduated from that famous 
institution with the Class of '14. Pomona \'alley may well congratu- 
late these aggressi\"e and enterprising young men of affairs. 



REGINALD L. KNOX 

The tlescendant of two generations of pioneers in the state, and 
himself a nati\e Californian, with two sons to carry on the family 
name in the upbuilding of their conmiunities, Reginald L. Knox can be 
called a name-worthy representati\e of a pioneer family and typical of 
the public spirited and sturdy stock from which he descended. Born 
in Los Angeles, May 23, 1884, he is the son of George C. and Maria 
R. (Langenberger) Knox; his mother was also born in the Golden 
State; and his grandfather, Gustavus A. Langenberger, came here in 
1849, one of the Argonauts of gold mining days who came to seek his 
fortune and remained to lay the foundation for prosperity in the state. 
His father, George C. Knox, served as an engineer in the Confederate 
Army during the Civil War, and after the close of the war, came west 
to California and was one of the engineering corps that made the sur- 
vey of the Pacific Coast. He has passed to his reward, but the mother 
of the family is still li\"ing. This pioneer couple were the parents of 
five children, four bovs and one girl. 

The third child born to his parents, Reginald L. Knox was edu- 
cated in the public schools of Los Angeles, and had one year in the 
high school of that city. He then entered the employ of the Southern 
California I'ruit Exchange, now the California Fruit Growers Ex- 
change, in December, 1899; was sent by the company to San Francisco 
in 1906, antl in 1908 came to Pomona and took a position as assistant 
to Mr. Dreher, the manager of the San Antonio Fruit Exchange. In 
1917. Mr. Knox became secretary and manager for the last-named 
company and has since filled that position with credit to himself and 
his employers. 

The marriage of Mr. Knox, on No\ember 4, 1915, united him 
with Miss Katefjordan, and two sons ha-,'e blessed their union: Regi- 
nald L., Jr., and Robert Jordan. In iraternal circles Mr. Knox is a 
member of the Masonic order; he is a member of the Chamber of 
Commerce of Pomona, anil takes an acti\e interest in all ci\ic affairs 
and movements. Patriotic to a degree, he served as captain during the 
local war drives, and in all projects for the general welfare he can be 
counted on to tlo his share. With his family, he attends the Episcopal 
Church; in politics he supports the men best ijualified for office. 



HISTORY A\l) r.IoCRAl'lIV 7J'' 



I RF.D D. WF.AVER 



How much of the comcniencc and pleasure of cyditifr, hoth with 
the old-fashioned pedal-power anti the more modern motor ailjunct, 
are due to a well-appointed fjarajrc or service station only those, 
perhaps, who ha\c been fortunate to patronize the Pomona Motor 
and Cycle Shop at 218 West Third Street, so well conducted hy its 
proprietor, Fred D. Weaver, can realize. It is fully eijuipped in the 
most up-to-date fashion, with all necessary machinery for the repair 
of both motorcycles and bicycles, including acetylene welding ami 
brazing, while its fine stock of supplies evidence the merchant who 
does not wait until something is called for, but anticipates the demand 
and is ready for any emergency. When it is considered that the serv- 
ice here is promptness and willingness itself, and that the highest ef- 
Hciencv is always guaranteed, one may comprehend the extent to 
which Mr. Weaver has made his contribution toward the perpetu- 
ating of one of the most healthful forms of exercise and one of the 
most rational and delightful of sports. 

A nati\e son, very proud of his association with California, Ireil 
Weaver was born at La \'erne, in Pomona Valley, on May 28, 1894, 
the son of John Weaver, a resident of Pomona, who was born in 
North Manchester, Wabash County, Ind., on July 18, I860. He 
grew up in a farming district, where he followed farming for a while, 
and then he learned the trade of a painter. On January 23, 1894. 
having reached the Coast, he came to La \'erne, and here for fifteen 
years followed painting, while he was also a clerk in the hardware 
and furniture store. He next located in Centralia, Wash., and for 
se\en years was in the employ of the Wholesale Fruit Company: but 
in 1917 he returned to Pomona, and of late has been in the service 
of the San Dimas Orange Growers Association. He married Miss 
Ada Grossnickle, a nati\e of Indiana and the daughter of Daniel and 
Mary Grossnickle, by whom he had eight children, all of them still 
living. Clarence M. lives at Malone, Wash.: Silas Leroy is at Lind- 
say, in this state: Mary is now Mrs. G. Leach of Atwater, Cal.: the 
fourth and fifth in order of birth are Homer B. and Fred D., the sub- 
ject of our interesting review: Grace, the next, is Mrs. Guy Conrad 
of McFarland. Cal.: and the youngest are Flazel, now Mrs. C. Corn- 
wall, and Glenn. 

Fred was educated at the public schools of La Verne, and at an 
early age took such a great interest in bicycles that he visited stores 
and repair shops, wherever he could, and soon learned all the makes, 
and all their parts and how to repair them — not a small undertaking, 
considering the range of the wheels on the market — so that from the 
beginning he gradually drifted into the cycling trade. In 1909 he 
\vorked for W. K. Bunch of La Verne, who ran a cycle shop, and there 
learned to repair motorcycles. Coming to Pomona, he entered into 



730 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

a partnership with Clark Levengood and opened a cycle shop on West 
Third street, at the corner of Thomas, and this partnership continued 
until, in January, 1916, Mr. Weaxer opened a shop of his own, — the 
one he now has. He is agent for the Crown bicycle, made by the 
Great Western .Manufacturing Company, and one more and more 
popular with the youth "who knows." 

At Ontario, Cal., on Jarnuary 17, 1916, Mr. Weaver was 
married to Miss Bertha E. Watt, a daughter of E. and Susan Watt, 
and native of Alissouri, and two sons have blessed their union: Dale 
and Mehin. The family, following the Weaver tradition, attend 
the Church of the Brethren in Pomona. 



VICTOR CURTIS AUCiUSTIXE 

An exceedingly clever master of the pencil and brush, whose rep- 
utation for artistic labor is permanently established, is \'ictor Curtis 
Augustine the well-known sign writer, who was born in Mansfield, 
Ohio, on October 13, 1874, a son of John and Charlotte (Leppert) 
Augustine, both now deceased. 

Mctor was the fifth child, in a family of six and he was educated 
in the public schools of his home-town — just enough of a drill and an 
introduction to the real hardships of life to assist him when, as a 
youngster, he entered the city of Cleveland and became an apprentice 
to his trade. He was compelled to work by day to earn his support; 
but at night, when others slept, he studied in an art school to perfect 
himself. Finally, he reached that degree of proficiency that ever 
since he has followed this line of work. 

In 1911) Mr. Augustine came to California and bought an orange 
grove, and for about six years was engaged as a citrus grower. In 
1916 he once more turned his attention to his trade of sign writing, 
and in this field he has distinguished himself, and makes a specialty 
of sign-writing. As opportunity presented itself, he performed again 
what he had repeatedly accomplished before he came to the Pacific 
Coast: and many times, he created opportunity and so directed his 
activity that it spelled progress for Pomona and vicinity. And here 
he remains, not merely because he likes the Valley, but because his 
daughter is being educated here, in the excellent schools. 

Mr. Augustine was married to Miss Anna Bender, a woman of 
rare attraction, who died in February, 1912, leaving one child, Cath- 
erine May. In 1916, for a second time, Mr. Augustine was married, 
this time to Alda Whitlock, but for a second time death deprived him 
of her companionship, Mrs. Augustine passing away on Mav 17, 
1918. For years Mr. Augustine has attended the Congregational 
Church; and for years he has also striven for better citizenship under 
the guidance of the Republican party. 



illSTdkV AXU UIOCRAI'IIV TM 

GKORGi: E. JOMS 

Among the substantial citizens ot I. a N'erne is Gcor^jc F. Jones. 
He is a native of Tennessee, having been born at Piney Hats. Sullivan 
County, in that state, March 20, 1S83. He was engaged in farming 
in his native state until he came to Pomona, Cal.. sixteen years ago. 
in 1903. when he was twenty years olJ. He worked on the Richards 
orange ranch at North Pomona for twenty-two n id was after- 

ward with the Pioneer Truck Company at Los . _ - for a short 
time. He returned to Pomona Valley and was employed on the Ever- 
green ranch at La N'erne for two years. After leaving the Evergreen 
ranch he formed a partnership with J. S. McClellan. under the firm 
name of Jones and McClellan, and conducted the Lordsburg livery 
stables. He then, in 1907. entered the employ of the San Antonio 
Meat Company, and since then has become a stockholder, director and 
manager of the La \'eme Market, the position he now occupies. He ;s 
serving his first term as trustee of La \ erne and is chairman of the 
finance and purchasing committees. When La \'erne was incorporated 
he was the first city marshal. 

He married Miss Eva Sparks, born in Pomona, and they are the 
parents of two sons. Carl and Floyd by name. He is the owner of a 
six and one-half acre orange and lemon ranch in full bearing on fort 
Hill Boulevard. In his religious convictions he is a Methodist and a 
member of the First Methodist Church at La \'eme and a member of 
the official board. Fraternally he is connected with Lodge No. 107 of 
the Knights of Pythias at Pomona and the Modem Woodmen. He 
is also a member of the La Verne Chamber of Commerce, as well as 
the La Verne Orange Growers Association and the La \ erne Lemon 
Growers Association. 



REV. ALFRED INWOOD 

An- early pastors who preached in Pomona \'alley is 

Rev. A wood, pastor of Trinity Methodist Church at 

Pomona. He was born in Bedfordshire. England. December 17. 1859, 
and completed his eti at St. Peter's College. Wexford. Ireland. 

and at St. Peters M College. Dublin. Ireland. In ISS6 he 

received the degree of A.B. from the College of Puget Sound. Tacoma, 
Wash., and in 1913 received the degree of D.D. from the same col- 
lege, and came to California in 1S87. taking his first charge in 
Ontario, San Bernardino County, in that year. Since that time he has 
been actively identified with the Methodist Church in Southern Cali- 
fornia. For the past thirty-one years he has been associated with the 
Southern California Conference, fifteen years of that time being regis- 
trar of the conference. For six years he was superintendent of the San 
Diego district, and also p- • ^ ' — I -:: Beach and Los Angeles. He 



() 



7M I1IST( n<\ A\l) I'.K X'.KAl'in' 

was a delegate to tlie (leneral Conference ior two sessions, anel he has 
been trustee oF the L'nixersitv of Soiithei-n California at l.os Angeles 
for ten years. He was field superintendent of the .\Jethodist Hospital 
at Los x\ngeles for two years, resigning the office in October, 1918, t 
take charge of the Trinity M. K. Church at Pomona. The Trinity 
Methodist Church at Pomona was organized In 1907, and occupies 
a fine modern chiirch building on Pearl Street. The church has made 
a rapid growth, and numbers over 700. members. It is supporting two 
missionaries, JVliss I'^thel AlcClIntock in Mexico City and Sidney E. 
Edwards In San Jose, Costa Rica. 

Reverend Inwood was united in marriage with Miss Anna Ct. Wil- 
liams, a natne of CaiKuia, aiul their union has been blessed with the 
birth of six chiklren, four now living: (iertrude A 
Alfred E. and I'^sther. 



DANIEL WALTER ANDERSON 

Among the successful tlairymen of Pomona \'alley, Daniel \V. 
Anderson deserves special mention for what he has accomplished by 
his own unaided eftorts. He was born December 25, 1877, In Wayne 
County, Iowa, and was brought up in Monroe County In that state and, 
having followed agricultural pursuits all his life, is thoroughly con- 
versant with all that leads to success in his chosen vocation. His 
earliest recollections are in connection with his father's farm, where as 
a boy he followed the plow when he was so small he could barely reach 
the handles of the implement. He paid a visit to California in 1904, 
with the usual result — he returned in 1912 to remain. 

Mr. Anderson leasetl land at Compton, Los Angeles Countv, the 
first year of his residence In the state, then purchased his present place 
of four acres at the corner of South Towne and I*'ranklin avenues, 
Pomona, and began to build up a herd of pure-blood Holsteins. After 
making the subject a study he considers the Holstein breed the most 
satisfactory, as they are more rugged and greater milk producers than 
other breeds. He had a heifer with her first calf which gave seven 
gallons of milk daily the first year; the second year the same cow with 
her second calf averaged nine gallons daily for five months. His test 
of butterfat ran from 3.9 to 4.4 per cent, on the whole herd. The first 
two years he raised his own feed, but now considers it more economical 
to purchase it. For eighteen months he shipped his milk to the Cres- 
cent Creamery at Los Angeles, and in a test for bacteria, including 
milk from over one hundred dairies, the milk from his dairy was pro- 
nounced superior to all the others. 

He also raises peaches and apricots on his ranch and from a crop 
from a few trees in 1917 received $476. The gross receipts from his 
ranch in 1918 were ."^l 5,000. This represented the work of himself 



IIISTOKV AND r.loGKAl'llV '^•'^ 

aiui a helper. 1 Ic has built up and sold two hcriis of Holstc'uis. 'I he 
first, in 1914, which consisteil of twenty-nine head, sold tor $3Ut)U. 
In February. 1919. he sold what was considered the best herd m 
Southern California, consisting of fifty head, which brought sKl 5()n. 
This is a sample of the increase in values in the past five years. 1 le is 
now building up another herd from the same stock and already has 
twenty heifers. His stables and milk houses are up-to-date, modern 

and sanitary. i- e • i 

On April 6. 1914, Mr. Anderson married Carolyn l.. Smith, a 
native of Los Angeles County, whose father. W. H. Smith, is also a 
native of Southern California, and %yhose mother. Sarah Law Smith, 
was born in Northamptonshire. luigland. Mrs. Andersons grand- 
father. J. A. Smith, known as "Section" Smith, was a Los Angeles 
County pioneer, with the further distinction of having been a school- 
mate of President ]. A. (.arrield, and of being related to Ceneral 
Burnside. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson arc the parents of two children, 
native Californians, Walter K. and Dale Law. Mr. Anderson is a 
self-made man, who began life with the assets of strong hands, courage, 
a willing heart and good judgment. His success is due to persistent 
effort, and the sagacious use of his natural endowments. He is es- 
teemed by his many friends in the community in which he resides. 



ELMER ELLSWORTH Kl I LV. Ml). 

A distinguished representative of the medical profession of Cali- 
fornia, who promptly and generously tendered his services to the gov- 
ernment at the entrance of the United States into the war, is Elmer 
Ellsworth Kelly, the well-known physician and surgeon of Pomona, 
who was born in Mills County, Iowa, on September 25. 1861, the son 
of the Rev. Isaac and Ruth (Smith) Kelly, both of whom gave their 
lives for ministerial and missionary work in the Methodist Church. 
Both parents were natives of Ohio. 

After having located for a while at Oakland and San Jose, the 
family came to Pomona in 1898; and here the father died in 1905, 
while the mother enjoyed life for another five years. She was the 
mother of twelve children — of whom nine arc living — and I-"lmer Ells- 
worth w^as the ninth child and seventh son in the order of birth. 

He was educated at the public schools of Iowa and at the Malvern 
Academy, and in 1885 he graduated from Simpson College with the 
degree of Bachelor of Philosophy, later receiving the master's degree. 
He then studied medicine at Cooper Medical College in San Krancisco, 
from which he was graduated in 1887. 

After graduating. Doctor Kelly practiced for twenty-three years 
in San Francisco, and in 1910 he came to Pomona to live. In 1889-90. 
he demonstrated anatomy in Cooper Medical College, and from 1896 



734 HISTOKV AND I'.loCRAPHY 

to 1901 he was professor of anatomy in the College of Physicians and 
Surgeons in San Francisco. In 1907 he was president of the San Fran- 
cisco Medical Society, and in 1898-99 he was a member of the State 
Board of Medical Fxaminers. He belongs to the American Medical 
Association, the State and County Medical Societies and the /Academy 
of Medicine of San Francisco. 

For eighteen years Doctor Kelly has been a member of the State 
Executive Committee of the Y. M. C. A., and twice he was honored 
with the presidency of the state convention. He was chief medical 
examiner of the local exemption board during the war, and took an 
active interest in all war work, contributing time, effort and money 
whenever possible. 

In 1901 Doctor Kelly was married to Miss Annie G. Phillips, of 
Boston, daughter of Charles Phillips, an engineer, and by her he has 
had one child, Phillip Ellsworth Kelly. The family attend the Trinity 
Methodist Episcopal Church. Doctor Kelly is a thirty-second degree 
Mason, a Knight Templar and a Shriner. 



NELSON GRANT McCAIN 

A thoroughly-trained, practical builder whose experience alone is 
a valuable asset both to himself and the community in which he oper- 
ates, is Nelson Grant McCain, who is \'ery naturally interested in every 
building mo\-ement in the Valley. He was born in Buchanan County, 
Mo., on April 20, 1863, son of the Rev. Nelson McCain, who was 
both a Methodist minister and a farmer and acted for four years as 
chaplain with the Northern Army during the Civil War. He married 
Mary Ritchie, daughter of John D. Ritchie. Mrs. McCain is still liv- 
ing at the ripe age of four score, while her husband had attained the 
more advanced age of eighty-nine, passing away April 7, 1919. There 
were six girls and four boys in the family, of whom our subject was 
the fifth child born, but the other three sons are deceased. 

Nelson was educated at the common schools of Missouri and the 
high school of Hamburg, Iowa, finishing his schooling in Kansas, 
V\-here he remained with his parents until he was twenty years of age, 
when he learned the carpenter's trade. 

At the beginning of the great boom period in California, in 1886, 
Mr. McCain first came to California and located at Pomona; and 
here he has continued to live, with the exception of three years. Dur- 
ing this time he has built some of the modern business blocks, among 
them the State Bank, the Capital Grocery Building and the Home 
Furniture Block, as well as the old High School, and many of the finest 
residences in the city. All of his work, where the conditions permitted, 
has been marked with substantiality and sensible ornamentation. 

Mr. McCain, who is a Republican, is commissioner of the Second 



HISTORY AND IlIOCKAl'HV /i':' 

Ward, although never a seeker for public ortice. I lis many friends 
requested him to run and— that meant his election by handsome ma- 
jorities. He belongs to the Chamber of Commerce and stands ready 
to boost Pomona against all competitors in or outside of the \'allcy. 

At McPherson, Kans., on May 3, 1886, Mr. McCam was mar- 
ried to Miss Minnie Maltbv of Kansas, by whom he has had six chil- 
Jren— three bovs and three girls— all enjoying an enviable popularity. 
Mr. McCain belongs to the Odd Fellows and the Elks, and few mem- 
bers are more popular there. 

HUGH S. rrilTSWORTH 

Thanks to the high-grade character of the service once introduced 
and ever since maintained by Hugh S. Teitsworth, Pomonans given to 
motoring have long ago learned that in seeking first-class auto and 
machine repairing they need go no further than the Studebaker Service 
Station, at 410 East Second Street, one of the best-equipped shops in 

all the Valley. 

On May 24, 1887, Mr. Teitsworth, the son of Minor L. and 
Anna (Nelson) Teitsworth, was born in the bustling city of Min- 
neapolis, where he commenced his schooling under the best of advan- 
tages, but when he was nine years of age he removed, with his parents, 
to Los Angeles, and there finished his education under the direction of 
his father, who was a teacher. Later he took a very comprehensive 
course in electrical engineering in the Scranton Correspondence School, 
and after the thorough training there, found no difficulty in getting a 
first-class engagement at the famous store of the H. Jevne Company, 
at Broadway and Sixth Street, Los Angeles. 

After two years with that firm, he took up the mechanical end of 
auto repairing and worked as a machinist in the repair shops of the 
Pacific Aviation and Motor Car Company, the Maxwell Company 
and the Knox Auto Company, thereby gaining a complete knowledge 
of the electrical and mechanical features of the automobile. Then, 
in 1913, he located at Pomona, where he entered the employ of the 
A. L. Wood Garage on East Monterey Street as a machinist. Later 
he formed a partnership with Fred Duvall as a partner, under the firm 
name of Duvall & Teitsworth, and took over the garage and machine 
shop, conducting the same for two years. They then transferred their 
business to the Studebaker Garage at 410 East Second Street, where 
they devote their time to expert repairing. 

In October. 1917. Mr. Teitsworth bought out his partner, and 
now he is the sole owner of the repair department of the establishment 
described above. He has installed a complete outfit of modern machin- 
ery, and handles all kinds of work from the heaviest auto truck to the 
smallest auto, including cylinder boring, battery repairing and many 



736 II1S'^()R^• AXI) I'.IOC.RAIMIV 

other thinos requiring knowledge and tirst-class workmanship. He em- 
ploys a carefully-selected force of six men who are kept constantly 
busy; and being himself expert, he is able to direct the work to the 
greatest ad\antage. As a Studebaker serxice station, Mr. leits- 
worth's establishment is undoubtedly one of the best-etjuipped In the 
entire state. 

In June, 1913, Mr. Teitswortli was married at Los Angeles to 
Miss Laura A. Wright of Detroit, the daughter of Z. W. and Ahiry 
Wright, by w'hom he has had one daughter, June. Always popular 
socially, Mr. and Mrs. Teitsworth are especially so in the fraternal 
circles of the Knights of Pythias and the Llks, both of Pomona. He 
also belongs to the Citrus Belt Auto Association. 



HFRBERT C. KETTFLLE, D.D.S. 

■ Born in Tipton, Cedar County, Iowa, December 19, 1875, 
Herbert C. Kettelle, a dentist of Pomona, is the son of William and 
Eliza J. (Robert) Kettelle, the former a manutacturer of brick and 
tile in that state. Both parents are now deceased. Herbert C. received 
his education in the grammar and high schools, graduating from the 
latter in 1894. He then put in one year at the Iowa Univ-ersity in 
Iowa City, and two years in the Northwestern Liiiversity at Chicago, 
graduating in 1897 with his degree of D.D.S. He practiced his pro- 
fession at Jefferson, Iowa, for twehe years after lea\ing college, then 
came to Pomona in August, 1909, and continued his profession here 
until 1911. At that time he went tt) Colorado, but returned to Po- 
mona in 1915 and has since that time been practicing in this city, with 
a large clientele to speak for his abdit\' m his profession. 

The marriage of Doctor Kettelle on December 31, 1902, at Jef- 
ferson, Iowa, united him \\ith Miss Mabel Clara Huston, born in 
Burlington, but residing at that time in Jefferson. Fi\'e chiklren ha\e 
blessed their union: Herbert Russell, Kent William, Clare, who died 
May 31, 1916, aged foLir years; Harold Huston, ami Pearl. 

Fraternally Mr. Kettelle is a member of the .Masons, holding 
membership in Pomona Lodge, No. 246, F. & A. M. While in Colo- 
rado he attended the (jrand Lodge; he also is a member of the Odd 
Fellows, belonging to the Cirand Lodge and the other branches of the 
order except the Canton. In business circles he belongs to the Chamber 
of Commerce. In politics he supports the Republican party. Pond of 
the mountains and outdoor life, the doctor enjoys for recreation an 
occasional hunting trip, returning with e\idence of his prowess with 
the huntsman's riHe. A public-spirited man, he has at all times shown 
a real interest in the advancement of Pomona, both in civic and social 
matters, and served as local chairman of the Preparedness League 
of American Dentists, among other public duties. 



IIISTOKV AXI") lUOC.RAl'llV 7^7 

llAKKV J. I.AXAKS 

In enumerating the men who have contrilniteti to the material 
welfare of Pomona in the successful culture of citrus truit. mention is 
due Harrv j. I,a\ars. lie is one of our I-'.n^Iish cousins who crosseil 
the water in search of a land that woulil better his financial prospects 
in life. He was born in Kent, llnjjianii. July 19, 1858. and is the son 
of a member of the British Navy who ser\ed his country valiantly 
durinji the Crimean War. 

I'.ducated in the schools of his native country. Henry J. later 
became a stationarv engineer and found employment in the lar^e stone 
works and brick plants of England. The year 1891 found him in the 
citv of Los Angeles, Cal.. and in searching tor a good location he 
chose I'omona, where he purchased a live-acre orange giove on Arroyo 
A\cnue in the Fackani Orange (irove Tract. The place had just been 
planted, and he later added to his acreage by the purchase of an addi- 
tional four acres just opposite his tirst piece of property. His orchard 
is verv productive, vielding from 4()tMI to 5000 boxes of fruit yearly. 

His oldest son. Harry M.. is living in Alhambra. The second 
son. William I"., lives in San IVancisco. and the youngest. PTarold. 
resides in Pomona. .Mr. La\ars was married a third time to Mrs. 
Gertrude Warren, born in Illinois, but residing at La N'crne. October 
25. 1919. .Mr. Lavars is the owner of two modern cottages at Bel- 
mont Heights. Long Beach, Cal. He takes a deep interest and is a 
stanch worker in the cause of prohibition. Prom the beginning he has 
been a member of l^miona Fruit Growers Kxchange. having seen the 
benefits of cooperati\c business methods while living in Lngland. 



WII I.I.XM A. KHNNKDY 

Prominent in banking circles in Southern California, William A. 
Kennedv is numbered among the most able men in financial matters in 
the Pomona \'alley. His birth f)ccurred July 25. 1871. on a farm 
in west Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh, his parents being Alexander and 
Maria (Shafter) Kennedv. The father, a farmer in that state, has 
since passed on, but the mother is still living. I wo chddreti were 
born to this worthy couple. W. A. being the youngest. 

William A. Kenneily received his education in the public schools 
of his native state and finished with a course at the Grove City College, 
after which he found employment with the lirst National Bank at 
Grove City, Pa., as assistant cashier, continuing with them eight years. 
He then bought an interest in the St. Louis Wholesale Paper and 
I wine Company, and for fix e years was a member of that firm. Sell- 
ing out his interests, in 1903 .Mr. Kennedy came trj California, first 
locating in Long Beach, where he remained for seven years with the 



7:-:S HISTORY AND IlIOGRAPIIY 

First National Bank of that city. In 1909, he came to Pomona, and 
here continued his hanking experience, first as escrow officer for the 
First National Bank for four years, and since then has been cashier 
of the institution. 

The marriage of Mr. Kennedy, on August 22, 1894, united him 
with Bessie Bell, a daughter of William Bell, and they have taken their 
part in the church and social life of the city. A Republican in national 
politics, Mr. Kennedy in local matters votes for man rather than party. 
Fraternally he is a member of the JNIasonic Lodge, Chapter and Com- 
mandery, and in business circles he belongs to the Chamber of Com- 
merce. P rom the beginning of his residence here he has shown a deep 
interest in the upbuilding of the city anci Valley and stands ready at 
all times to back his interest with substantial help. For recreation he 
indulges in horseback riding, the beautiful roads about Pomona afford- 
ing an ideal background for that sport. With his wife he attends the 
Pilgrim Congregational Church. 



FRANK WHEELER 

rhe realty of Pomona Valley constitutes one of the greatest 
attractions for business operations, and Frank Wheeler of Claremont 
is well known in this connection as a man who has made a success of 
the real-estate business. Of linglish ancestry and birth, he was born 
at Nottingham, England, December 20, 1856, and is the son of Ben- 
jamin and Mary (Radford) Wheeler. Both parents are now de- 
ceased. The father while living did much government work. In a 
family of twelve children, nine of whom are living, Frank is the eldest 
Sf)n. He left school at the age of fourteen and was apprenticed to the 
steamfitting trade, which he afterwards followed. 

After traveling extensively and visiting almost every seaport in 
the world in search oi health, Mr. Wheeler came to America in 1882. 
He spent two years in New York City, where he worked at his trade 
of steamfitting and where he occupied the position of foreman, then 
went to Chicago anci continued the occupation. He was manager of a 
steam-fitting business in that city three years, and in 1893 came to 
Claremont and engaged in the culture of oranges. He has been en- 
gaged in the real estate business for twelve years. 

Mr. Wheeler's marriage united him with Miss i\Lary J. Cron, 
and they ha\e two children, Stuart G. and Kathryn F. Politically 
Mr. Wheeler adheres to the principles advocated in the Republican 
platform. Fraternally he is a Mason of the York degree and a 
Shriner. He is president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of 
San (iabriel \'allcy and in that connection is well known in California 
for what he has accomplished. His integrity and wortli, as well as his 



illST( )RV AXl) r.l( >C.K AI'llV 'i't 

deep interest and activity in all that pertains to the betterment and 
upbuilding of Pomona Nalley. has won recognition among his lellow 
citizens. 



n. \i.KM:K BKK.nr 

One of the proprietors of the Keynvernel C, roves is 11. \ erner 
Bright, who was born at Dover, on Lake Erie, near Cleveland, in 
Cuyahoga County. Ohio, where he was reared, receiving his educa- 
tion in the schools of that place and in Cleveland. When he was 
thirteen years of age he began making his own way. entering the 
sales department of Bowles & Burdick. wholesale jewelers, where he 
continued for a period of seven years. Then in order to have out- 
door work, he accepted a place on the survey corps of the county 
surveyor of Cuyahoga County, working up from rodman to transit- 
man and found the experience enjoyable, interesting and also very 
beneficial to his health. After three years in the county surveyor's 
office, he resigned and entered into partnership with his brother, 
Fred, as Bright & Bro.. general manufacturers of tools and special- 
ties. ' They were the inventors of the Bright turnstile, which has 
since come Into worldwide use. 

The first exposition at which the Bright turnstile was used was in 
the Old Piedmont l-".xposition Grounds in Cincinnati, in 18S4. After- 
wards the National League and American League took it up and it 
came into universal use by railroads, large manufacturers and exposi- 
tions, not only in the United States and Canada, but in South America, 
Europe and the Orient. He made trips to Europe and South America 
introducing the turnstile. During the late war the Government made 
various uses of the Bright turnstile at loading stations, messrooms 
and munition places, to register employees and soldiers. Among im- 
provements to the turnstile is the pay-as-you-enter system, as well as 
a coin control turnstile for fairs and expositions, which was first used 
at the St. Louis Exposition. 

In 1900 the brothers dissolved partnership, Fred Bright taking 
the work of the manufacture of the typograph. while H. V. con- 
tinued in the manufacture of tools, novelties and turnstiles, ami the 
small business has grown to very large proportions under the name 
Bright Turnstile Company. They also manufacture ticket machines, 
ticket choppers and cancelling machines. With his brother, under 
the firm name of Hcss-Bright, they were manufacturers of ball- 
bearings in North Philadelphia until they sold their interest in Octo- 
ber, 1916. Lie was also interested in the Cleveland Cap Screw Com- 
pany, now the Steel Products Company, one of the largest producers 
of welded steel products in the country. He has sold his interest in 
this business. 



740 HISTORY AXn IIKX'.RAPITY 

His first trip to California was in 1905. He \\as prepared to 
like it because from a bov he was intensely interested in California, 
antl his dream from a youth of ten years was of an orange gro\-e in 
California. Liking it here he came to California each winter, and 
in 1912 he piirchaseil his present gro\e, which was set out m June 
of that year. He selected this site for his home and no more sightly 
place can be found; here he built a large, beautiful, modern residence, 
making of the whole one of the show places of the district, being 
located on the mesa in San Dimas Canyon. 

Associated with Harrv Damerel of Co\-:na, he is engaged in 
raising oranges and lemons. Individually anil in partnership thev 
own 215 acres of orange and lemon gro\'es in this region. He is well 
pleased with the locality, finiling on in\estigation it is second to none 
in the United States. 

The marriage of Mr. Bright occurred in Cle\eland, Ohio, when 
he was united with Miss Lillian Uviatt, also born in Do\'er, who 
presides gracefully o\-er her husband's home, assisting him in dis- 
pensing the true hospitality of which both are \erv fond. 



EMERY ROSCOE YUNDT 

In the life of this successful banker of Pomona are illustrated the 
results of perseverance and energy, coupled with diversified talent and 
learning. He is a citizen of whom any community might well feel 
proud, aiul the people of Pomona \'alle\', fully appreciating his ability, 
accord him a place in the foremost ranks of the representative citizens 
and business men. Identitieil with the banking interests of Pomona 
since 1905, he has helpeii in the i.ie\'elopment of its commercial and 
agricultural growth, ami has been an important factor in the upbuilii- 
ing of the resources to be found in this fertile section. 

Born in \aper\-ille. 111., December 22, 1869, Emery Rciscoe 
Yundt is the son of Simon and Catherine (Lehman) Yundt, who were 
farmers by occupation back in the Eastern state, and are now living in 
Pomona. Of the two children born to his parents, Emery Roscoe was 
the oldest, and was educated in the public schools and Mt. Morris 
College, Mt. .Morris, III., and then entered the University of Chicago, 
from which he was graduated in 1894 with the degree of Ph.B. He 
then taught school for one year in a boys' school at Racine, Wis., the 
institution being under the management of the Episcopal Church. In 
1897 he came to Los Angeles, Cal., where he was physical director of 
the Y. M. C. A. for one year. From there he went to Schuyler, Nebr., 
antl was principal of the public schools of that town for one year, and 
toi- three years in Nebraska City. 

After these years spent in teaching, Mr. Yundt was sent to the 
Philii)pine Islands as provincial treasurer in the U. S. Treasury Depart- 



1IIST( )l<\ \XI) I'.K )C.K Al'in' 741 

n'cnt, rctaininfj the post tor three years, lie then, in l')n5, came to 
Pomona, ami in 1906 was one ot the organizers ot the State Mank 
here, ami has since that date been cashier of the institution. 

Ihe marriaj^e of .Mr. ^ iindt, which took place in Schuyler. Nehr.. 
in 190(1, united him with .Miss (irace Stanton ot that city, mm] two 
children ha\e been born to them: Deryl \'. ami Arlene. Mr. ^'iimlt 
is a member ot the Church ot the Brethren ami is a member and secre- 
tary ot the board ot trustees ot I. a N'eriie College and deeply interest- 
ed in its growth ami success. Politically. Mr. ^'undt supports the pre- 
cepts of the Republican party. I le is a man ot keen vision ami broad 
in his \iews; always active in anv work going on tor the aiiv ancement 
of his home citv, he is well known and equally vycll liked in the com- 
munity. Alvyays an athlete, during his college days he became vyell 
knovyn through his football record, maile while he vyas a member of 
the Chicago L niversity football team. lie vyas trained by Alon/.o 
Stagg, the famous coach, and was a member of the team that crosseti 
the continent and \yon renovyn and nevy laurels far from their home 
grountls. The same energy that he devoted to football in those tlays 
is now given to furthering the progress ami advancement of his chosen 
environment, Pomona \'alley. and it is the public-spirited, cultureil and 
loyal people residing in this beautiful section which make it the highly 
developed spot it is toilav. 



Wil.LlA.M lUKK lOoTF. 

A railwav' man whose experience in the handling of men proved 
of great value in the successful prosecution of war work, for which, 
\vith commentiable patriotism, he early volunteereti his services, is 
William Burr loote, the affable and attentive manager of the Pacific 
Electric Railroad. His birthplace was in Itawamba County, Miss., 
where he first saw the light on April 14, 1878, and his father was 
William Henry Foote, a cotton buyer, farmer and merchant, who mar- 
ried Mary Ann Riley, the liaughter of Nathan Riley. .Mrs. I'oote is 
still living, the mother of five children, among whom William was the 
eldest. \\'illiam Henry Foote, who did his duty as he saw it in sup- 
porting the Confederacy as a soldier in Companv C of the Ihirty- 
fifth Alabama Regiment, is now deceased. 

The schools of Whiteviile ami New Castle, Fenn., oftered our 
subject his first educational ailvantages, and then he continued his 
studies at the Jackson, Miss.. Commercial School, ami finisheti at the 
high school at Whiteviile. Ihen, for eight years, he was in the service 
of the .Memphis Railroad, coming west in 1909 and passing to the 
service of the Pacific Klectric. 

In the beginning, he was in the company's employ at Los Angeles, 
where he remained until September, 1910; next he went to r)ntario 



742 HISTORY AND UK )GRAPHY 

with tlie I'acific Liglu and Power Company; and in 1911 he came to 
Pomona, when the Pacific Electric took over the Ontario and San 
Bernardino Heights Railroad. Now he has charge of the Pomona 
and Ontario local lines, and the San Dimas line, and the line running 
from Lone Hill to the San Bernardino interurban. 

On May 5, 1913, Mr. Foote was married at Ontario to Miss 
Elizabeth H. Mezera, a daughter of Joseph and Anna Mezera, and 
a native of Wisconsin; and two children have blessed this union. A 
son is William Stuart Foote, and a daughter has been named Marjorie 
Mezera. Mr. Foote is a Mason of the third degree, and Republican 
who served on the draft board. He was a lieutenant In all the war 
drives, and he was a captain in the Y. 'SI. C. A. drive. The lure of the 
outdoor world appeals to him, and busy man though he be, he Is par- 
ticularlv fond of garden work and the cultivation of flowers. 



CHARLES PHILLIP BAYER 

A fine fellow personally, and an accomplished leader in com- 
munity endea\or, is Charles Phillip Bayer, whose record of accom- 
plishment for Pomona and the \'alley is well known. He was born at 
Chicago, 111., on \o\ember 4, 1SS8, the son of Phillip Bayer, a 
merchant prominent in business circles, who married Emma C. Mar- 
graf. Both parents, esteemed and mourned by many, are now dead. 

Charles, the only child, was educated in the Hedrick. low'a, 
grammar schiiol and in 1906 graduated from the high school of that 
town. Pushing out Into the world, he was for nine months with the 
Simmons Hardware Company of St. Louis, and then, because of poor 
health, he went to Texas for a short time and worked for the engineer- 
ing department of the Santa Fe. 

In 1907, Mr. Bayer, hearing of the attractions of Southern Cali- 
fornia, and con\inced of the superior advantages of Pomona, came to 
this town, and for seven and a half years engaged in brokerage. His 
strong and winning personality from the beginning drew to him many 
friends, while his application of high standards of ethics to the trans- 
action of business inspired confidence and Increased his patronage. 

On April 1, 1915, Mr. Bayer was elected assistant secretary of 
the Chamber of Commerce, and on April 1, 1917, secretary. In time, 
too, he was made secretary of the Commercial Secretaries' Association 
of California and secretary of the Associated Chambers of Commerce 
of the San Gabriel Valley. Now he lectures daily in the Los Angeles 
Chamber of Commerce on the resources and attractit)ns of the Pomona 
Valley. 

Mr. Bayer was a member of the National Guard of the State of 
California for seven years, and first sergeant of Headquarters Com- 
pany, Seventh California Infantry; and he was honorably discharged 



HISTORY AND I!I< (C.RAI'l h' 743 

on the Mexican border during the late trouble there. l\-rhaps this 
military experience has had something to do with Mr. Bayer's lo\e of 
the mountains and fondness for outdoor life. 

On March 28. 1910, Mr. Bayer was married to Miss Florence C. 
Maclntvre. Mrs. Baver, who is an accomplished musician, was secre- 
tary of the Ebcll Club. One child blessed the union — Charles Donald. 
Mr. Baver is a Republican in national politics, but a genuine "booster" 
without partisanship in local affairs. He is secretary of the Associated 
Chambers of Commerce of San Gabriel \'alley, also of the California 
Association of Commercial Secretaries. 



imVARD A. niNZlF. 

A successful i7ierchant in the college town of Claremont, I!dward 
A. Hen/.ie was born on a farm near Pleasant Plain, Muscatine County, 
Iowa, July 16, 1866, the son of John Jacob and Sarah Elizabeth Jane 
(Watham) Hen/.ie, born in Pennsylanvia and London, England, re- 
specti\ely. I hey resided in Iowa and were farmers until they retired 
and now live in Grinnell, Iowa, having raised a family of three boys 
and three girls to aid in the world's work. The eldest child, Edward 
A., received his education in the public schools of his home community, 
and also in the school of experience, as he began helping his father on 
the farm from boyhood on until twenty years of age. 

Leaving the farm at that age, Mr. Henzie found employment in 
a store at Deep River, Poweshiek County, Iowa, and remained there as 
clerk for the next eight years, when he bought an interest in the store 
and remained for fifteen years as a partner in the business. At the 
expiration of that time, in 1 9 1 0, he sought new fields for his endeavors, 
and came to California, after his arrival first spending one year in 
Pomona, and then, in 1911, came to Claremont and engaged in his old 
business, opening a grocery store and meat market. His years of ex- 
perience in this line made success a natural outcome, as does also his 
reputation as being honest in all his business dealings. 

.Mr. Henzie spends his leisure time in orange cultivation, his 
orange grove being located on the base line. He divides his time be- 
tween his two interests, this leaving him small leisure for outside affairs, 
although he is deeply interested in the further growth of his home 
section and ready at all times to work with his fellow-citizens toward 
that end. A Republican in politics, he is serving as a city trustee of 
Claremont. In fraternal circles he is a member of the Knights of 
Pythias in Pomona and of the Modern Woodmen in Claremont. 

The marriage of .Mr. Henzie occurred at Deep River, Iowa, 
August 24, 1892, uniting him with Miss Sarah Elizabeth Craver, a 
native of that place, and a daughter of Cornelius and Elizabeth 
(Light) Craver. natives respectively of New Jersey and Illinois, who 



744 HISTORY AXH r.IOCRAl'in' 

were agriculturists and early settlers at Deep Ri\cr. Her father died 
November 1, 1919; the mother is still living. Of their seven children, 
six are living, Mrs. Henzie's twin sister, Mrs. Mary Stockhouse, being 
deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Hen/.ie have two children. P'orrest M. 
enlisted antl ser\ed in the motor transport ili\ision of the United States 
Army twenty-se\en months ami is now an automobile dealer in Ana- 
heim, and Wesley C. also enlisted and served in the United States 
Na\al,Reser\e Force until mustered out, and is now in the automobile 
business in Ontario. One grandchild, Elizabeth Uee, brings joy to the 
family. Mrs. Henzie is a member of Clarcmont Chapter, O. E. S. 
They are members of the Christian Church in Pomona. 



FRED W. HARTMAN 

Well known m business circles m Pomona, in which citv he is now 
a member of the hrm of Miller & Hartman, ilealers in new and second- 
hand furniture, Fred W. Hartman needs no introduction to the people 
of the Vallev. He was born in Fort Wayne, Allen County, Ind., 
September 20, 1874, and attended the public schools of his native 
state. His school days over, he became an employe in the finishing 
department of the Packard Piano Works at Fort Wayne, and learned 
the trade of finisher, later he entered the employ of the Nickel Plate 
Railroad, where he remalnctl three years as a fireman. His next step 
was to take up the trade of painting in Fort W^ayne anti this calling 
he followed with pronounced success until No\-ember 17, 1919, when 
he embarked in his present line of business in Pomona. 

It was in 19(16 that Mr. Hartman felt the call to come to Cali- 
fornia and he arri\'ed in Eos Angeles. After looking about the state in 
search of a location he selected Pomona as a likely field for his trade 
and became a permanent settler here in 1908, and soon was recog- 
nized as an expert workman and here he plied his trade as contracting 
painter and paper hanger. He kept three men continually at work and 
many of the homes in the \'alley show his artistic touch. His work 
took him into Claremont and Chino, where he worked on some of the 
best homes and buildings. Desiring to get into another line of business 
he found a field in the new and secoml-hand furniture lines and its meet- 
ing with results from the start. 

In selecting a life companion his choice fell Lipon Hertha Bru- 
baker, a iiati\e of Kansas, who was i-eai-eii from a small child at 
Covina, Cal., and their union has been blessed by the birth of three 
native daughters of the (iolden State, Hilda. Mildred and Dorothy. 

Iraternally Mr. FLirtman is a member of Pomona Eocige No. 
246, E O. O. F., in which he is past officer, and he is also a member of 
the order of Yeomen. 



1IIST()UN' \\l> I'.K x'.kAlMIN' 745 

IIINKV M. CKAWIOKI) 

Among the men ot Pomona \':illcy who have workcil their way to 
reasonable success is Henry M. Crawford, prominent ami successhil 
fruit grower and buyer for the Sunset Canning Company ot I'omona. 

The scenes in his early life are in connection with the I,one Star 
State, where he was born in Nacogdoches County, December 26, 1S70. 
He was reared and educateil in Texas and followed the merchandise 
business in his native state. He was the proprietor of a store at Lynn 
I'latt, and later at San Angelo, Texas, and was also interested in the 
cattle business. While living in 'Texas he was school trustee. Decem- 
ber .^1, I'^ii.S, he came to Pomona. Cal., and purchascil the ranch he 
now owns on I'.ast (irand Avenue. The property was unimproved at 
the time .\Ir. Crawford purchased it. He planteil it to Tuscan cling 
ami Phillips' cling peaches, setting out all the trees himself. The 
orchard is well cared for and is an abundant producer, yielding fifty 
tons of fruit in 1917. 

.Mr. Crawford was united in marriage with .Miss \'annie Huff 
of Texas, and they are the parents of six chiUlren. I.ucile is the wife 
of B. H. .Moore of San Bernardino: New lives in Long Beach, and 
Paul, (jertrude, Anna L. and Joseph are at home. 

Fraternallv Mr. Crawford affiliates with the Woodmen of the 
World, and in his religious associations is a member of the lirst .Meth- 
odist Church at Pomona. 



ANSON C. THONLAS 

Numbered among the prominent business men of Pomona wc 
find many native sons of the city taking an active part, as is fitting, 
in the progress and upbuilding of their home community, and to these 
men all credit is due for their public-spirited activity in all work for 
the welfare and advancement in all directions of the city and sur- 
rounding country, which owes much to their efforts along public and 
business lines. Among these Anson C. Thomas has taken an active 
part. Though not a native of the city, as his birth took place many 
miles away, in Baraboo, Wis., August 29, 1886, he was brought here 
by his parents when but an infant, and was reared and educated here. 
His parents, Thomas C. and Isabell (Case) Thomas, were pioneers 
of the \'alley, and did their part in the development work carried on 
in the formative period of its development. The father had served 
his country during the Civil War, in Company A, Sixth Wisconsin 
Infantry, as first lieutenant; in 1884 he came to I'omona, and his 
family followed him, in 1886. Here he engaged in the real estate 



746 HISTORY AXD PJOGRAPIIV 

and insurance business until his death, which occurred in 1891. The 
mother is still living. 

Anson C. Thomas was the youngest of four children born to 
his parents, and attended the public and high school of Pomona. He 
then went east and took a business college course and later worked 
as bookkeeper there. After remaining east three and one-half years, 
he returned to Pomona, in 19U8, and was with the J. M. Powers Shoe 
Company for two and one-half years. In 1911 he came to the 
Triangle Shoe Company as manager, and one year later bought into 
the company and is now proprietor of the Triangle Shoe Store; this 
quick ad\'ancement in business speaks for the caliber of the man, and 
also for the prosperous condition of the community. 

On June 8, 1914, Mr. Thomas married Miss Natalie Wilbur. 
He has joined in the fraternal life of the city, and is a member of 
the Masonic lodge: of the Elks, and in business circles belongs to the 
Chamber of Commerce. He is fond of outdoor life and takes his 
recreation in hunting and fishing and motoring, and also owns an 
orange grove to take up his time in horticultural development. Mr. 
Thomas makes the best Interests of Pomona \'alley his interests, and 
his success is deserved. 



SYDNEY R. BOYD 

A prominent resident and man of affairs of Pomona, who has mi- 
plicit faith in the future of Southern California and has become a great 
"booster" in particular of Pomona \'alley, is Sydney R. Boyd, senior 
member of the real estate lirrn of Messrs. Bovd & Gates, of 103 
South Garey A\enue, Pomona, dealers in orange, lemon and grape- 
fruit groves, alfalfa and other country ranches, and city property. His 
own home ranch is a place of fifteen acres of a choice orange grove at 
1406 East Fifth Street — one of the oldest orange groves in the Valley, 
rich in varieties of \'alencias. Mediterranean Sweets, Seedling and 
Blood oranges. 

Mr. Boyd was born in Lyon County, Ky., on February 15, 1861, 
and there reared until he was eighteen years of age, when he went to 
Nashville, Tenn., and followed steamboating, clerking on steamers 
running on the Cumberland River. After four years, he returned to 
Kentucky and followed the mercantile business in the towns of Prince- 
ton and PVedonia, Caldwell County, Ky., until the Spring of 1906, 
when he decided to come to the Pacific Coast. 

In April, then, he arrived in Pomona and at once located here, 
starting in the real estate business for himself, and this he has followed 
practically ever since. With Frank Smith as a partner, and under the 
firm name of Smith & Boyd, he put on the market the well-known sub- 
di\ision. Tract No. 1007, ten acres located on North Towne Avenue, 



IIISTORV AND I'.IoC.RAi'HV 747 

between Columbia and Alvaratio streets. This property, in one ol the 
best residential sections of the city, has all been sold, and many tine 
homes built there, so that the exploitation of the same has been a 
definite contribution to the proper expansion of the city. 

Later, when in business alone, Mr. Boyd subdivided Iract No. 
2069 on San Antonio Road and at the corner of Columbia Street, and 
the five acres there have all been sold and built upon. Mr. Boyd him- 
self erected a number of fine homes on each of these tracts, which he 
later disposed of, one by one. at a fair profit. He has also dealt ex- 
tensively in orange groves, and has bought and sold no less than 
twenty-five in the N'alley. 

He has been twice married, the first ceremony taking place at 
Princeton and on September 28. 1886. when Miss Jennie Easley, a 
charming lady, and a native of Lyon County, now deceased, became 
his wife. She left three sons, Sydney E., Leonard H. and John Baxter 
Boyd. On the occasion of his second marriage. Mr. Boyd was united 
to Mrs. Elvin Rice Averitt, also a native of Kentucky, and a lady 
representative in every wav of the delightful social side of Southern 
life. 

Mr. Boyd has served the city of Pomona for four years as a 
member of its City Council, when the council entered the new city hall. 
He belongs to the Masons, and he and his family attend the First 
Presbyterian Church. 



ALBERI CA.MPBELL GERRARD 

On every hand there is convincing proof of the growth of the city 
of Pomona, and Albert Campbell Gerrard. president of the Alpha 
Beta stores, occupies a distinctive place among those who deserve their 
share of credit for assisting in the city's upgrowth. He is a Canadian 
by birth, having been born in the province of Ontario. May 18. 1876, 
and is the son ot Alexander and Marion (Campbell) Gerrard. His 
father, an ex-school teacher and preacher, now retired, at the age of 
eighty-three, is spending his declining years at Santa Ana. 

Of the ten children in the parental home. Albert Campbell is the 
sixth child, and received his education in the public schools of Canada. 
He came to California in 1890, first locating at Riverside, where he 
engaged in the restaurant business, afterwards being occupied in the 
meat business for a period of eight years in that city. He then spent 
six months in Long Beach, then went to Pomona and again entered 
the meat business, continuing the employment for seven years. He 
afterwards spent one year in Santa Barbara, and a year in Long Beach, 
and while there he invented the Butcher's Ready Reckoner. Then 
four years were spent in Santa Ana and once more he returned t(j 
Pomona and a year and a half ago formed the Alpha Beta Company. 



748 llISTom' A\l) lUoC.RAIMlN' 

They have a chain of eight stores — the Whitehouse, established in 
1917, and the Triangle, in 1914, in Pomona; two in Santa Ana, ami 
one in Huntington Beach, Clareniont, Ontario and Riverside. 

His marriage united him with Miss Emma L. Bond, October 29, 
1902. The children born to them are Melvin, Francis, James, Ruth- 
marv and Paulhugh. In politics Mr. Gerrard is a I'rohibitionist. He 
is a member of the Christian Church and also of the Chamber of 
Commerce . He is fond of music and of outdoor life and the pleasures 
of automobiling: is liberal and progressi\e in his ideas and methods, 
and is imbueil with a just pride in all matters pertaining to Pomona, in 
whose welfare he is deeply interested. 



JOSEPH A. ALEARD, JR. 

Among the profesional men of Pomona \'alley none ha\e shown 
a more willing spirit to ad\"ance the interests of the \'alley and its 
people than J. A. Allard, Jr., of Pomona, where he is among the 
recognized leaders of his profession, that of the law. He was born 
at Waterbury, Conn., May 8, 1887, the son of Joseph A. Allard, well 
known as an enterprising ami reliable merchant of that city, whn mar- 
ried Miss Rosalie Carmier and thev became the parents of six chddren. 

Joseph, our subject, was the eldest of this family and he received 
his education in the grammar and high schools of Stratford, graduat- 
ing from them with honors. He then entered Yale and in 1909 he 
recei\ed the degree of Ph.B. from that institution; and three years 
later he graduated from the Yale Eaw School with the degree of EE.B. 

Mr. Allard then came to California and began the practice of his 
profession at La \'erne, then Lordsburg, but a year later he took up 
the practice in Pomona and he has been identified with the bar here 
ever smce. He soon established a clientele that has been evev growing 
with the growth of the community and has taken his place with the 
men who ha\e had as a special object the betterment of conditions in 
general of the people and the communit\'. He has ser\ed as city at- 
torney of Ea \'erne since 1913, with the exception of two years; was 
acti\'e in war work in conjunction with the draft bt)ard, and is a mem- 
ber of the Eos Angeles Countv Bar Association. 

At New Haven, Conn., on October 22, 1912, Mr. Allard was 
united in marriage with Miss Harriet E Butler, a native of that state, 
and they ha\e one child, a son, Joseph Gordon. The family attend 
the Pilgrim Congregational Church at Pomona, in which Mr. Allard 
is a member of the board of trustees. Mr. Allard is a member of the 
Masonic fraternity, a patron of the Eastern Star, a member of the Odd 
Fellows and the Woodmen of the World. He is a member of the 
board of directfirs of the Masonic Temple Association of Pomona. 



11ISI<)RV AXn niOGRAI'in' 74'1 

JACOB CAMl.RS 

Not everyone who has ventured into the auto-supply field has 
succeeded so well in pleasinjj; hoth himself and the public as jacoh 
Camers, one of the three partners of the Pacific Auto Wreckinj^ 
Company, at 545 West Second Street, Pomona. He is a native of 
Russia, where he was horn on May 1, 1882, and in that country (tf 
skilful journeymen he learned the trade of a custom tailor. 

In 1906 he came across the ocean to the huul of j^reater free- 
dom, and for six years followed his traile in New York City. Then 
he traveled west to Los Angeles, and in that city worked as a tailor 
for two years. He did so well that he formed a partnership with J. 
Berman for the manufacture of ladies' cloaks and suits, arul the indus- 
trious partners had a shop on Broatlway between Third and I'ourtii 
Streets. 

Selling out his interest to his partner, Mr. Camers came to Po- 
mona in 1916. and here he entered into partnership with S. (joodman 
and A. Welenchik and formed the Auto Wrecking Company. 
They leased a stable on Ihird Street near Thomas for ten dollars 
per month, but as their business rapidly grew, they leased more exten- 
sive quarters on South Thomas Street, opposite the Opera Garage. 
In 1918 they moved to their present location, where they ha\e the 
largest outfit and stock of its kind between Los Angeles and San 
Diego, while they also operate a branch store in San Bernardino. 
They started with a capital of $800, and $15,000 is now their reg- 
istered capital. 

The Auto Wrecking Company buys autos, wrecks them and sells 
their parts, and they also do rebuilding. They do retreading in their 
own vulcanizing department, which is the largest in the \'a]ley, oper- 
ating fne moulds. Besides carrying a large line of second-hand tires 
and tubes, they are agents for the National Tire and also the Kokomo 
Tire. 

FVom small beginnings, these progressive men have built up a 
large trade, and the partners are now Jacob Camers. A. Pall, and 
S. (joodman — the latter being in charge of the San Bernardino store, 
while .Mr. Pall travels on the road, buying up autos. Such is the 
extent of their rapidly expanding trade, that they buv from two to 
three machines weekly during the year. They also carry a full line 
of auto parts, and have everything required by the autoist. Thev 
make old tires look and act like new, and in every department and 
respect, give good service. 

In 1905 Mr. Camers was married in Russia to .Miss .Marv Stark, 
a native of Russia; and three girls have thus far blessed the happy 
union. Rosa is thirteen years of age; Sarah is eleven, while .Anna is 
two years old. 



750 IIIS'I'(JRV AND UloGRAl'liV 

POMONA FIXTURl'. & WIRING COMPANY 

A concern that enjoys the enxiable distinction in Pomona com- 
mercial circles of being the leader in its line is the Pomona Fixture & 
Wiring Company, conducted under the able management of Cyrus W. 
Jones and J. Frank Rambo, proprietors. Mr. Jones was born in 
Butler County, Kans., on September 15, 1890, and as a youngster 
resided in Oklahoma. When he was thirteen he removed to the state 
of Washington, and there, at North Yakima, he attended school. His 
first employment was in a dry goods store in Seattle, where he profited 
much in not only getting acquainted with business methods, but in 
acquiring a knowledge of human nature; and after a year spent in 
his old home town in Kansas, he came to California. 

In 1907 he was luckv to locate in Pomona, and for six years he 
clerked in the Orange Belt Emporium. Then, in 1913, he started to 
learn the electrical business in Pomona with A. J. I'irdy, and when 
the Pomona Fixture & Wiring Company was formed, he entered their 
employ and later became vice-president of the company. 

On October 25, 1916, with J. Frank Rambo as partner, he 
bought out the company and as well-mated coworkers, these gentle- 
men have pulled together ever since, steadily improving the service 
and increasing greatly the \olume of business. 

At Pomona, and on April 16, 1911, Mr. Jones was married to 
Miss Jennie P. Passmore, a nati\e of Iowa, and the daughter of O. C. 
and Alice E. Passmore, pioneers from Colorado. One daughter has 
blessed their union, Eleanor. The family attend the First Baptist 
Church, and Mr. Jones is a member of the Pomona Lodge No. 107, 
Knights of Pythias, and the Yeomen. 

J. Frank Rambo's native place was Des Moines, where he was 
born on June 5, 1883, and he was educated at the public schools and 
the Capitol City Business College of that city. He next passed some 
time on his father's ranch, getting there that agricultural experience 
and out-of-door exercise that has proven of such benefit to many; and 
then, for six years, he was with the A. B. Avis Hardware Company, 
and for three years was accountant with the Pomona Manufacturing 
Company. As already stated, he became a partner with Mr. Jones 
in the Pomona I'lxture & Wiring Company, and by assiduous applica- 
tion to the problems in hand, and through his own valuable experience 
with the trade world, he has contributed his share to making their 
enterprise a decided success. 

Under the impetus given by the new proprietors, the Pomona 
lixture & Wiring Company has become the leader in the \'alley in 
the department of its operations. Besides being contractors in elec- 
trical work, they carry a full line of electrical appliances, and are 
service station agents for the Westinghouse F^lectrical Manufacturing 
Company, while they also represent the Hamilton Beach Manufactur- 



iiis'r( )\i\ AM) i;i( )(".K.\l'l!^■ r.M 

inj;; Company. They carry electrical auto supplies aiul electrical wash- 
injr machines. Kxperts in their line, they have done the wiring, by 
contract, for the Avis Hotel and many ot the finest homes in i'omona, 
the College Heights Orange & Lemon Association I'lant, in Clarc- 
mont, the Union Ice Company's establishment at the same place, 
l\)mona College buildings, including the library building, while they 
installed the first ornamental street lighting system at Claremont, and 
also put in the same in front of the Claremont High School. They 
did the intricate and elegant work for the Claremont School tor Boys, 
as well as for many elaborate homes in Claremont, the Chino Cannery, 
the buildings of the CJeorge Junior Republic School at Chino and all 
the work on the buildings of the Diamond Bar Ranch near Pomona. 

Such an establishment as the Pomona P'ixture & Wiring Com- 
pany is always a \aluable asset to any community, and its worth to 
both Pomona and Claremont and all Pomona N'alley is sure to be 
demonstrated more and more as the years go by, and these progressive 
towns continue to be peopled by those who demand the best obtainable 
service. 

Mr. Rambo was married at Pomona on August 16, 1910, to Miss 
Winifred L. Passmore, the daughter of O. C. and Alice E. Passmore. 
Mrs. Rambo is a sister of Mrs. Cyrus W. Jones. 



HARRY T. BELCHI-R 

Among the far-seeing, promising young men in the Claremont field 
of finance, whose ad\ice is often sought, and whose influence is felt in 
both commercial and industrial circles, is Harry I". Belcher, the popu- 
lar cashier of the First National Bank. He was born at San Francisco 
on March 19, 1884, the son of Robert T. Belcher, the college profes- 
sor who married Miss Minnie Tresilian, natives of Bandon, Ireland. 
Robert T. Belcher was a graduate of Queens Uni\ersity, Dublin, Ire- 
land, coming to Claremont in 1907, where he has since been one of the 
professors in Pomona College. Of their family of four children, 
Harry is the eldest. 

Harry T. Belcher studied at the .Mt. Tamalpais Military Acad- 
emy, from which he was graduated in 1894: and then, for eight years, 
engaged with the Matsons Bank of Montreal in Canada. Returning to 
the United States and to California in 1906, he accepted a post with 
the Western National Bank of San Francisco and then with the Citizens 
National Bank of Los Angeles, in which institutions, working accord- 
ing to American methods, he had a good chance to show what he 
could do. 

Since 1913 Mr. Belcher has been cashier of the leading institution 
with which he is at present connected: he has also become a member of 
its board of directors and has naturally grown to be acti\ e in the Clare- 



752 IIIST< )UV AXl) UK x'.RAl'in' 

moiit Board of Trade. lie is a Repuhliean in national polities, hut 
works for the advaneement of good loeal movements regardless of 
party ealls. During the late war he was naturally very active in the 
different war dri\-es and served as chairman of the Claremont Victory 
Loan Committee. 

At Claremont. on September 5, 1916, Mr. Belcher was marrietl 
to Miss Nellie M. Parsons, the daughter of C. M. Parsons and Mary 
G. Parsons of Claremont, Cal. They are members of the Congrega- 
tional Church and Mr. Belcher is secretary of the Men's Union; he is 
also a Mason. Claremont is fortunate in numbering such young men 
among its ad\ance guard. 



PHILIP L. RICCIARDI 

An Italian-American, who has succeeded so well through his own 
ability and industry that he has for years reflected most creditably 
on the land of his nativity and also on the country of his adoption, 
is Philip L. Ricciardi, the genial and wide-awake proprietor of Philip's 
Shoe Store at 290 South Thomas Street. He was born in Sicily 
on November lU, 1S89, attetided there the public schools, and at the 
early age of eight, commenced to learn the shoemaker's trade. He 
mastered custom shoemaking in particular, and thus equipped, he set 
sail, in 1908, for the United States. 

He came direct to Los Angeles, where he had relati\es, and there 
attended night school in order to learn b.nglish. He was for a while 
m the shoe-repainng department of Wetherhy-Kayser, and also in 
the Bootery, and later he started a repair shop of his own at Seventh 
Street and (jrand A\enue. Still later, with Charles Fass as a partner, 
he opened a shop at Eighth and Hill streets. 

On New Year's Day, 1914, these partners bought out the Block 
Shoe Repairing Shop on South Thomas Street, Pomona, Mr. Ricciardi 
coming to Pomona to take charge, while Mr. Fass remained in Los 
Angeles to take care of the shop there. Later, the partnership was 
dissolved, and as Mr. Ricciarili stuck to the ship at Pomona, his busi- 
ness prospered rapidly. 

In May, 1919, therefore, he leased a much larger store next door 
to his old place, and while still carrying on the repair shop, put in a 
full line of shoes. He has the best-equipped repair shop in the Val- 
ley, and repairs on the average of fifteen hundred pair of shoes 
monthly. This item alone may be taken to indicate the extent of his 
profitable trade. 

Like many of his nationality, Mr. Ricciardi is musical; indeed, 
he is an artist on the cornet. His father was the leader of a band in 
Italy, and at the very precocious age of nine years, he played the cornet 
in his father's band concerts. He was also a cornet player in the 
Seventh Regimental Band, California National Guards, and in 1916 



lIISTokV AXl) IIIOGRAIMIV ''^^ 

he went with that regiment tor three months to Nogales, Arizona, 
during the Mexican troubles. Since then, he has been cornet player m 
the Pomona City Band. 

Mr Kicciardi was made an American citizen in 19 IS, and is a 
YeoMKin. and a member of the Loyal Order of Moose. He was mar- 
ried at I'omona. on .^URUst 22, 1917, to Miss Beatrice De Capno a 
native of Seattle, Wash., and the daughter of A. and Josephme IJe 
Caprio; they have one son. Philip l'. Ricciardi. He owns h.s own 
home, a comfortable dwelling at 544 East Pasadena Street Pomona 
and he gives a willing hand to the work of the Pomona Chamber ot 
Commerce. 

CHi:Sll K J. MORRIS 

\ man whose enterprising spirit and broad, fair methods of 
dealing with patrons is clearly reHected in his well-organized busmess 
is Chester I. Morris, proprietor of the Pomona Carpet Cleaning and 
Awning Works, advantageously situated at the corner of Park Avenue 
and West Bertie Street. He was born in Crawford County, 1 a., in 
the district where the first oil well drilled is located, on November 5, 
188^ and when ten years of age the family moved to Jamestown, 
N Y . where he attended school. When he was fourteen, he secured 
emplo'yment in a dry goods store, and still later he was in a woolen 
mill and also the Jamestown Wood Working factory. After ten 
years, he returned to Pennsylvania, and in the city of Titusville he 
was for a while an insurance agent; discontinuing which he managed 
a shoe business there. 

On October 9, 1909, Mr. Morris arrived at Pomona, and soon 
afterward he was given employment by Joseph La May. who man- 
aged the Pomona Carpet Cleaning and Awning Works. He under- 
took the work of outside man soliciting trade for the house, and per- 
haps no experience could have served him better, first to master the 
details of that commercial line, secondly to learn locality and people, 
and third to add to his stock of human nature acquaintance, always 
of such value to a business man. He held that position for four years, 
and then, for a couple of years, was in the employ of the Munger 
Laundry. 

In June. 1914, Mr. .Morris bought out the Pomona Carpet Clean- 
ing and Awning Works and is now sole owner. Under his skihul 
direction, the concern has been improved in all of its departments, 
and the volume of its business has naturally steadily increased. The 
works not only eradicates the dust from rugs and carpets, but by a 
scrubbing and sterilizing process, it thoroughly cleans the same, and 
when the cleansing has been accomplished, the rugs arc in a condition 
almost as good as new. .Mr. Morris also makes and installs awnings, 



734 TIIST()R^■ AM) l',I()(',R.\l'l IV 

and as he does all the work in this line in Pomona, he easily controls 
the whole territory of the Pomona Valley. 

At Titusville, Pa., in 1905, Mr. Morris was married to Miss 
Grace M. Streeter, a native of Pennsylvania and the daughter of 
Sidney and Emily Streeter, by whom he has had three children: 
Mildred, Dorothy and Clifford. In his fraternal connections Mr. 
Morris is a charter member and treasurer of the Loyal Order 
of Moose, and also a member of the Maccabees. The family attend 
the First I'resbyterlan Church. 



WARREN PEXX 

The local dealer for Pomona Valley for Dodge Brothers Motor 
Cars, Warren Penn, was born at Broken Bow, Custer County, Nebr., 
on October 12, 1890, and there attended the grammar school, and 
later had the advantage of two years at the normal school at Peru, 
Nebr. He entered the railroad shops at Havelock, in the same state, 
and ser\-ed as an apprentice to the machinist's trade for two or three 
years. 

On January 21, 1909, Mr. Penn enlisted in the United States 
Navy, for a term of four years, and for six months he attended the 
Navy electrical school at Mare Island. He was made chief machin- 
ist's mate and was appointed to the U. S. S. California, (since 
sunk,) where he served in the dynanxo room. He visited China, 
Japan, South America, the Philippine Islands, and other interesting 
and remote places, traveling some 72,000 miles, and in the end ob- 
tained official papers qualifying him as first assistant engineer, on any 
ocean steamer in unlimited tonnage. 

Following his experience in the Navy, Mr. Penn was located in 
Los Angeles for six years, from 1913, when he was with the Harold 
L. Arnold Auto Company, as salesman; and with the used-car depart- 
ment. On March 15, 1919, he came to Pomona to take the agency 
of the Dodge Brothers Motor Cars, and he carries a full line of 
touring, roadster, enclosed, truck and business cars, and maintained a 
temporary show room in the front of the Opera Garage, until the 
new quarters on North Garey Avenue were a\ailable. This building 
was erected by Ernest R-ichter and is the most modern structure of its 
kind in the entire Valley, and is equipped with e\ery convenience found 
in the larger garages in any city. The Dodge Brothers cars were the 
most extensively used of any American cars on the battle fields in 
France. They were made up for ambulances and truck carriers, and 
stood the hea\"y strain imposed upon them under all and \arying, as 
well as extremely trying conditions. A thoroughly experienced mech- 
anician, Mr. Penn is a distinct asset to the business ranks of Pomona 
Valley, nor coukl he find a more promising field for his future oper- 
ations. 



IIISTOKV WD r.l< H;k Al'in' 7!<r> 

THOMAS II \KRIS( )\ 

Amonj^ the business men ol I'oinona who ha\e helpetl to brin^j 
the city to its present standard of prosperity. Thomas 1 larrison Is well 
known as a public-spirited and progressive man of affairs ami one who 
can be dependeil upon to do his utmost toward the advancement of the 
common welfare. Born I'ebruary 4, 1875, in Surrey County, I'.nglantl, 
his parents were Thomas and Mary (Holmes) Harrison, natives of 
that country and farmers by occupation. In 1894 the family came to 
the Lnitcd States and in this country the father has passed to his 
reward. 

fhe second of three children born to his parents, Thomas Harri- 
son was educated in the schools of Kngland. After their arrival in the 
States, he spent fourteen years with the Lake \'iew Gas Fixture Com- 
pany, in Chicago. He then came west and spent six months in Los 
Angeles, a year in I'asadena, and then settled in Pomona, and in De- 
cember, 1910, the firm of Harrison-Fitch Llectric Company was 
formed, and has built up a successful and far-reaching business, dealing 
in all kinds of electrical work, fixtures, etc., and success is due without 
doubt to the reputation for honesty and fair dealing which has been 
the watchword of the firm since its beginning. 

Deeply interested in the progress of his home city, .Mr. 1 Lirrison 
has proven himself a \aluable citizen to his adopted country and is 
respected as such throughout the community. He is the owner of ten 
acres of citrus orchard in San Dimas, to which he gi\es considerable of 
his time. He is an ardent supporter of the prohibition cause, and in 
church afifairs is a Methodist. 

The marriage of .Mr. Harrison united him with Miss Kate May 
Spansail and two children have been born to them, Marion Llizabeth 
and Donald Leslie. 



ED\V.\RD (,. STAIIIM W 

An up-to-date brickmakcr whose assiduous application to the studv 
of the Industry enabled him at length to master all the branches is lid- 
ward G. Stahlman, foreman of the Pomona Brick Company. I le was 
born on a farm near Sparta, in Randolph County, 111., on July 27, 
1878, the son of Jacob and Katherine (.Nice) Stahlman. His father 
is still living at the age of seventy-three; but Mrs. Stahlman, who was 
the mother of eight children, is dead. 

Ldward, the fifth child in the order of birth, went for a while to 
the rural schools and then worked on the farm with his father. Ik- 
was for a while in the high school ; but he left home at the age of nine- 
teen, and so did not enjoy all of the ad\ antagcs given to thousands of 
American youth. His mother had then died, and very likely that fact 
had something to do with his pushing so far from, home as California. 



756 IIISTi )\<\ AM) r.Ii )(^.k Al'lh' 

At aii\ ratf, hr ari'lvcd in l\i\ (.■|-sicif in 1S'>7, aiul lor two and a 
hall' years rcniaincil iIutc. I \v workcil at the biaik business, and trdni 
the lirst was alert to in\estiirate loeal coiulitions. 1 le went to Red- 
laiKJs, then to San liernanllno, ami afterward to Los Angeles, at which 
places he examined and studied the \arious clays, and experimented 
how best to burn them. Some ol his time was spent at 1 luntinjjjton 
"^'ard, ami then \\ith the Independent l?riek Company in Los Anfj;eles. 
1 le came to I'omoiia in I '^05, and lie has iieen with the Pomona Hrick 
Company e\ei- since. 

On jiilv 4, 1904, Mr. Stahlman was married to Miss Myrtle May 
Morf:;an, the ceremony takinji; place at Ri\erside; ami they have four 
chiUlren — Lois, I'dsie, I'^lna and Merlon. Mi-. Stahlman belongs to 
the ( )dd I'cilows and to the Lraternal iirotherhood. In politics he 
is a Republican and is serN-ing on the boaril ol education of I'omona. 
Although oltcii iin iteil to set himsell up in business elsewhere, Mr. 
Stahlman has lound onl\' one place that agrees with him and his health, 
and that place is Pomona. 



JAMlvS DIXON JOIINSOX 

No class ol men ha\e been more conspicuousU' pi-ominent in the 
upbuiUiing ol Pomona anil \Icinity than the real estate dealers, and a 
strong prool that the ile\ elopment of the city is entluring is afforded by 
the gi'owth ol its insurance interests. 

Among the representati\ e citizens who are engaged in the real 
estate ami insurance business is Claremont's popular city clerk, James 
Dixon Johnson. Mr. Johnson, who is a native of Pomona, Cal., was 
born January .^ 1 , 1S86. I le is the son of Cassius C. and Louise A. 
(Moore) Johnson, who came to California about the year 1881 and 
settletl at Pomona, where they engaged in ranching, and de\'eloped 
water b\- putting down an artesian well. The senior Jolmson jnir- 
chased a tract ol land which he afterwanis subdixitied and callctl John- 
son's Home Place, and it is now all in orange gro\es. He ilietl in 
1906. Ills widow is still li\ing. 

In a lamilv of three boys and two girls, James Dixon is the 
second child. He was educated in the public schools of Pomona and 
Claremont, gi'aduated Iroiii the preparatory school antl followed this 
by a year in Claremont College. He then became a member of a 
scientific expedition whose tield of work was British Honduras, where 
he remained one \ear. I lis father died soon after his return to Clare- 
mont, and he became successor to his interests in the lumber, real 
estate and insurance business. He afterwards tlisfiosed of his inter- 
ests in the lumber \ard. but continued the real estate ami insurance 
offices, in which he has been successful. 

1 lis marriage, October 6, 1908. united him with Miss I'Aaneeline 



lIlSTokV AM) IllOC.kAl'IlN' 7':<7 

KcikIuII i)t Loiiy Beach, aiul tlicy became the parents ol ihree chil- 
dren: l!sther Ehzabcth, who died Novemlicr 14, 1916, at the nf>;e of 
five; Charles Revere anil Kt)ji;er Kendall. 

Mr. Johnson has been prominent in the tlevelopiiient nl the 
Pomona Valley. In 1912 he purchased a tract ot unimproved land one 
and a half miles north ot Claremont, cleared it, ileveloped water on it, 
and with his brother, C. S. Johnson, set out the tirst twenty acres of 
lemons in that section. 

In his fraternal associations Mr. Johnson is a mcTiibcr of the 
Masonic order and has taken the third degree. Rcliffiously he is a 
member of the Congregational Church. He was secretary of the 
Claremont Board of Trade for four years and acted as its president 
one year. lie is secretary and manager of the Claremf)nt Improve- 
ment Company, and is acti\e in Reil Cross and Y. .M. C. A. work. 
He was elected city clerk of the city of Claremont in April, 1918, for 
a term of two years. Mr. Johnson hunts ami tishcs for recreation, is 
progressive and public spirited and takes a deep interest in all that 
concerns Pomona \'allev, whose interest he e\er has at heart. 



bi:nj\mi\ I-:, cai.kixs 

An adopted Californian hailing from the Buckeye State, who has 
brought to his present responsible trade operations considerable com- 
mercial anil go\ernmental experience, is Benjamin K. Calkins, one of 
the proprietors of the Alpha Beta Store, of the I riangle Cjroccry 
Store No. I, on Second Street and Park Avenue, Pomona. He was 
born at Toledo, Ohio, on No\ember 11, 1890, the son of Benjamin 
R. and .Matta M. (Plantz) Calkins, also natives of Ohio, and at- 
tendeil both the grammar and high schools of Toledo, getting his 
preparation for a brush with the great, wide world in the same stim- 
ulating environment so favorable to many distinguished Americans 
from that commonwealth. 

In 1908 Mr. Calkins came to California and, li\ing at Los An- 
geles, continued his studies under private instruction and at the Los 
Angeles Polytechnic, after which he gave instruction in the Wallace 
private school in Los Angeles. Then he went into business and was 
special agent for the bottled water of the Mountain Spring Water 
Company of Riverside C<nmty. Selling out in three years, he then 
became associated with the I'nion Oil Company as traveling sales- 
man, remaining with them until March. 1917, when he entered the 
employ of the Government in the purchasing department of the ship- 
yards in San Pedro. 

Coming to Pomona in the summer of 1918, he bought an Inter- 
est in the Triangle Grocery, and is half owner of the .\l()ha Beta 
Store Xo. I, located at 480 West Second Street. This establishment 



758 111ST< )\<\ AND I'.H )C,R.\lMn- 

moved into its new home in the summer of 1919, a he;ui(]uurters 
fitted up most attractively — clean, sanitary and inviting. 

Besides meat and groceries, there are departments for vegetables, 
fruit and candy, and all goods are arranged in alphabetical order, 
from A to Z, hence the name. Alpha Beta. The price is plainly 
marked on each article, ami you select what you wish and pay as you 
go out. This system has proven very satisfactory with the buying 
public, and the store, which is one of a chain of eight, is enjoying a 
high degree of prosperity. 

At San Diego on No\-ember 20, 1915, Mr. Calkins married 
Miss Helen (i. Hall, a nati\e of San Diego and the daughter of J. 
P. R. and Charlotte Hall: and they ha\e one son, Bruce Calkins. 
The family attemi the Christian Church of Pomona. 



B. CHAFFEY SHKPHFRD 

No more enthusiastic and unselfish advocate and supporter of all 
that pertains to bcjth the permanent welfare and the good name of 
Pomona could well be found than B. Chaffey Shepherd, president of 
the Orange Belt Emporium, who had charge of a quarter of the city 
in all the war drives that placed Pomona among the leaders for 
patriotic, substantial response to the call of the nation. He was born 
at Brockville, Ont., February 17, 1880, the son of Benjamin Chaffey 
Shepherd, a manufacturer in his younger day. He married Charlotte 
Camm, by whom he had four children, Benjamin being the second 
oldest. Ihe family came to Ontario, Cal., in 1884, where the elder 
Mr. Shephen^l turned to ranching, developed an orange gro\e in On- 
tario, and after he had disposed of this he gave his attention to the 
San Antonio Water Company, acting as its secretary, until he retired in 
1906. I le was a Mason, being past master of the Ontario Lodge, and 
was a Knight femplar and a Shriner. He passed away on June 6, 
1919, and his widow and all the children sur\-ive him. 

Chaffey Shepherd, as he is familiarly called by his many friends 
and acquaintances, was educated in the public schools of Ontario and 
from a boy he worked in the Oiilurio Observer office, and in due time 
he added the invaluable experience of the printer's trade, so that he 
was able to serve for three years as the foreman of the Ontario Ob- 
server. He then took a course at the Woodbury Business College and 
later went back to Brock\ille, Ont., where he entered the Collegiate 
Institute, which he attentied until 1901. He then returned to Los An- 
geles and accepted a position with the Southwest Printers Supply Com- 
pany, next engaging lor two years with the Central Lime Company of 
that city, for whom he was head office man. 

In March, 19(15, Chaffey Shepherd came to Pomona, purchased 
an interest in and became secretary and treasLirer of the Orange Belt 



TIISTORV AND P.K >r,K AIM IN' 7^*^ 

F.mporium, continiiinfj the activities of these offices until ( )ctohcr, 1918. 
when he was elected presiilent of the company. Oranjfc ik-lt Em- 
porium was started in 1901, and was then incorporated as the Kin^j- 
StcHa Company. In 190.^, on the death of Mr. Kin^f, it was taken over 
by the partners, who chanj^ed it to the Crawforil-Moles Company, and 
it was continued as such until A. I". Tate and H. C. Shepherd became 
interested, when the name was changed to the Orange Belt Em- 
porium. The Pomona Department Store being for sale in 1910, they 
purchased it, and soon after they moved into their quarters on the 
northeast corner of (iarey Avenue and Second Street, in their present 
large building, anil since then have obtained additional room. I he 
business now occupies a space 90 by 120 feet, the basement also being 
used for a sales department. The growth of the store has been phe- 
nomenal and far exceeds their most sanguine expectations, being now 
the largest store in Pomona Valley. Mr. Shepherd is also interested 
in citrus culture and owns an orange groxc in the \'alley and by the 
same methods and close application that has characterized his manage- 
ment of the l-]mporium he is also making a success of ranching. He 
is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce and has been 
especially interested in advertising the advantages of Pomona anti in 
welcoming those who come to settle here. 

On January 10, 1911, at Pomona, Mr. Shepherd was married to 
Miss .Mary Carmichacl Da\is, born in Grinnell. Iowa, by whom he has 
had three children: Benjamin Chaffey .3rd, Philip Davis and .Mary 
Louise. The family reside in the attractive home which Mr. Shepherd 
has erected in Alvarailo Park. In politics Mr. Shepherii is a Republi- 
can, and in fraternal circles he is a member of Pomona Lodge, No. 
246, F. & A. M., and Pomona Lodge, No. 789, B. P. O. Elks. 



REV. STEPHEN CI 111. R CLARK, JR. 

As rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church of Pomona, Rev. 
Stephen Cutter Clark has taken his place in the community where he 
was reared and educated and where he tinds work to do in his chosen 
calling. Born in Pasadena, August 6, 1892, he is the son of Stephen 
Cutter and Cirace (Greene) Clark. Fhe family came to California 
in 1887, and locating in Pasadena, established a boys' school in that 
city. The youngest of three children born to his parents, Stephen 
Cutter, Jr., was educated primarily in the classical school for boys 
conducted and founded by his father, then had two years at Occi- 
dental College, and took his degree of B.A. from the State Univer- 
sity in 1914. He then attended the Episcopal Theological School at 
Cambridge, and graduated with the degree of B.D. 

Reverend Clark was onlained in May, 1917, and his first charge 
was at Park City, L tah. One year later, in .August, 191 S, he was 



760 HISTORY A\n I'.IOGRAl'llV 

called to St. Paul's Episcopal Cluirch in Pomona, and is now ably 
filling that charge, a young man ot tine mind and attainments, des- 
tined to go tar in his life \^t)rk. 

The marriage of Re\erend Clark, at Berkeley, Cal., June 21, 
1917, uniteil him with Miss Helen Moodey, and one son, Stephen 
Cutter 3rd, and a daughter, Helen Eveleth, have been born to them. 
Fond of mountain climbing and outdoor recreation. Reverend Clark 
gains ni:\v enthusiasm in such sports. He is duly mterestcd in local 
affairs, and at present is president of the Pomona Ministerial Union 
and ready at all times to aid in worthy projects for bettering conditions 
in the ^'allev, along either educational, civic or social lines. In political 
matters he \otes the Democratic ticket. 



JOHN DOVOLOS 

The social side of life in the prosperous and comfortable home 
town of Pomona has not failed to attract to that city many proficient 
in callings ha\'ing to do with entertainment and pleasures, and among 
these enterprising pro\iders should be mentioned John Do\-olos, of 
the firm of Dovolos Brothers, proprietors of the well-known Athenian 
Confectionery at the corner of First Street and Garey Avenue, with 
a branch store at (Ontario. He was born at Sparta, Greece, on Octo- 
ber 25, 1889, and as even a small boy started to learn candy making 
in his nati\e lami. No better school could ever have been selected, 
for as Americans now kno\\', the Cjreeks are among the most proficient 
candy makers in the world. 

At the age of fourteen, when many boys are still poring lazily 
o\"er their hooks, Mr. Dovolos came to the United States and for a 
while located at Minneapolis, where he went to school and rapidly 
learned the English language. He alstj finished in that city his appren- 
ticeship as a candy maker, his instructor and employer being P. Bozo- 
los, one of the best-known confectioners of the Northwest; and when 
he was well-equipped to grapple with the worlil, he came West, in 
1907, with his older brother Andrew. 

Fortunately coming to Pomona, a town always appreciative of 
good things, the two brothers bought out the Olympian Candv Store 
on I''ast Second Street, in the Central Hotel Block, and there, with 
just ninety-fi\'e dollars capital, they started to found their fortune. 
So well did they in\'est their principal, so c!e\er were thev in what 
they set out before the inquiring public, that their trade grew rapidly 
from the start, and now they own two of the leading candy stores in 
the Valley. Experts in their line, they make all of the candy that 
they sell; and they are thus able often to offer the "home-made" con- 
fectionery so much in dcmaml totlay. After a year and a half In this 
first shop, they mo\eil to their present store at the faxorable location 



IIISTOKV AND I'.K )( ■.KAI'I l^■ "61 

at (jarcv A\ctuic ami I'irst Street. The Ontario store is manaj^eil hy 
Andrew Dovolos. John Dovolos at one time owned an oranjje and 
lemon grove in the San Dimas district, and at present he owns valuable 
Los Angeles real estate. Another brother. Cjeorge Dt)volos, is also 
a member of the firm, and is located at the Pomona store. 1 le served 
for two years in the Greek cavalry in the recent Balkan War, and 
was twice wounded. He has been in Pomona tor three years. 

John Dovolos also has a fine war record, of which he is justly 
proud. He enlisted in the great World War on April 28, 1918, a 
member of the 'lliree Hundred Sixty-third .Machine (jun Com- 
pany, Ninetv-first Division, and this ili\ ision did some of the best 
and hardest fighting in the war. It was known, in fact, as the WiKi 
West Division, and it lived up to its reputation for aggression. It 
was trained at Camp Lewis, went over-seas, anil took part in four 
important battles, the most noted of which was the Battle of the 
Argonne. Mr. Dovolos was hit three times, and had his helmet shot 
off, and for nine days and nights he was in the Argonne I'orest. Such 
was the terrific ordeal to which he and his co-fighters were subjected, 
that onlv ft)rtv-four of his company were left out of two hundred men. 
Altogether, he was three months at the front, and in that time 105 
prisoners were taken by his company. He brought back many curios, 
among which is a German helmet taken from a German he killed. 
While in camp in France, he made candy for his company out of sugar 
and chocolate, and named the same the Argonne Forest Candy; and 
it is safe to say that never has his art given greater satisfaction than 
to the soldier boys so far from home. Fraternally Mr. Do\olos is a 
member of the Woodmen of the World. 



IIAKKV B. WI'SKjAH 

A public-spirited member of the Pomona Bar, who, at the call 
of his country, promptly turned from the contests of the court room 
to the fiercer struggles oi the battlefield, is Harry B. Westgate, who 
was born at Taunton, Mass., on May 24, 1888, the son of James 1^. 
and Fanny (Gregor) Westgate. His father was a brick manufac- 
turer, and as such was well known for the superior product of his 
yards. He passed many busy, fruitful years in close relation to the 
building trade, and is still enjoying life, with his good helpmate, in 
Massachusetts. 

The elder of the two chiklren that blessed this union, Harry, 
was educated at the common schools of his neighborhood ami later 
at the Bridgewater high school. Ha\ing decitieil upon the stuily of 
law, he matriculated at the University of Maine, one of the most 
thorough of the excellent schools of \ew Englaml, anti In 191 J was 



762 HISTORY AXT) P.IOCRAPMV 

graduated from its College of Law with the degree of LL.B. Dur- 
ing the following February he was admitted to the bar of Maine, with 
full authority to practice in the courts of the state. 

In 1914, Mr. Westgate struck out for the West and finally 
reached California; and after locating at Pomona, to which he was 
attracted in part by the superior average of its citizenship, he was 
admitted, in June, to the California bar. Since then it has been only 
a matter of time for his steady and higher ad\'ancement, so that now 
he is fortunate in a satisfactory and increasing practice. This mate- 
rial success tlid not prevent him from offering his services to the Gov- 
ernment in that recent crisis which tried the hearts of millions of men; 
he joined Companv C of the Sixtv-first Infantrv, and was in the offi- 
cers' training camp at the signing of the armistice. 

In October, 1914, Mr. Westgate was married at Pomona to 
Miss Ruth Abbott, of Pomona, the daughter of William T. and Nettie 
J. Abbott; and one child — a son, Harry B., Jr. — was born of this 
union. Mr. Westgate is a Republican, but nonpartisan in respect to 
local affairs; and he belongs to the Knights of Pythias, thus taking his 
part in local social life. He owns an orange grove such as many 
would desire to possess, and this naturally makes him all the more 
interested in Pomona \'alley. He is now a member of the law firm of 
Gallup and Westgate. 



JASPER T. WELLS 

The rapid growth and increased prosperity of this section of 
California is without a doubt due to the men who have come here and 
devoted their time and efforts to the study and propagation of the 
citrus industry. Among these Jasper T. Wells deserves mention as 
one of the experts in this line of horticultural development work, and 
his years of study and work in orange and lemon growing have proven 
profitable both to the community and to himself. Mr. Wells is a 
native of Georgia, born in Savannah, December 3, 1871. He was 
reared there and learned the trade of bricklayer in his youth. He 
later went to Ellis County, Tex., and there engaged in the construc- 
tion of brick buildings in Waco and Gaheston. 

P>om Texas Mr. Wells went to Oklahoma, when it was still a 
territory, and voted for its statehood; he lived near Featherstone, 
in eastern Oklahoma, and farmed there for ten years. The year 1904 
found him in Pomona \'alley, and he then started to learn citrus grow- 
ing from the seed to the marketing. He worked for a time in the 
nursery at LaVerne to gain the desired knowledge, and also on the 
Evergreen ranch and the Payton ranch in that district. In 1912 he 
came to Pomona and became foreman of the F. P. Firey ranch of 
thirty-two acres devoted to orange growing. During his seven years 



IIISTOKV AXI) r.K iC.KAI'HV /"(..^ 

in this capacity he has greatly improved the property and is considered 
an expert in orange anti lemon growing in this district, antl in the 
best methods for the cultivation of these fruits. 

The marriage of Mr. Wells, in 1903, in Oklahoma, united him 
with .Miss Ona Woodside, a native of Kentucky, and three children 
ha\e blessed their union: Cecil, Alta L., and I'^lla J. The family 
attend the First Christian Church. In fraternal circles .Mr. Wells is 
a member of the .Modern Woodmen, and in civic affairs he is a be- 
liever in the further advancement of the resources of this fertile 
N'allev. 



ALBKRr P. DOILI. 

To become an expert in a given line of emleavor shows in itself 
a certain strength of character, and when the work is along artistic 
lines it shows as well a definite gift in that direction which in its de- 
\elopment pro\es of much real \alue to humanity and to the enjoy- 
ment of life. Albert F. Doull, the proprietor of the Art Furniture 
Shop at 284-290 East Second Street, Pomona, has become known 
throughout the state as a designer and maker of artistic furniture and 
a dealer in antiques. A Canadian by birth, he possesses thf art of 
attention to tietail for which that nation is noted, and this characteristic 
he carries into whate\er happens to gain his attention as worth while. 
He was born on Prince Edward Island, and his early days were passed 
at Summersidc, a picturesque port on the (lulf of St. Lawrence, where 
he atteniled the public schools. 

Mr. Doull started his business career by learning the cabinet- 
maker's traile at Amherst, Nova Scotia, and there he resided for iive 
years: when he left his native land, it was to cross into the States and 
come to Minneapolis. Minn., for a year. In 1887 he came west t < 
San Diego, and there worked at his trade for a time, then opened a 
store of his own, the Art Nook, on Sixth Street, in that city, dealing 
in antique furniture, and continued in that location for a period of 
seven years. Coming north to Los Angeles, he had charge of the 
case department of Murray M. Harris Pipe Organ Company, during 
which time he designed many elaborate organ fronts, such as the one 
installed in the First Methodist Church on Sixth and Hill, the Cali- 
fornia Street .Methodist Church of San Francisco, and numerous 
others. He also produced the preliminary sketches and built the kev 
desk of the largest organ in the world, exhibited at the St. Louis Expo- 
sition. He was also in the employ of the Weber Show Case Company 
and the Southern California I lardwood and .Manufacturing Company, 
both of Los Angeles. 

In the spring of 1915, attracted especially to Pomona, Mr. Doull 
opened here an art furniture shop, an! n^''^ 'i'< talent in making all 



764 iiisT( nn' .\\n i;i( »c,rai'1IV 

kinds ot furniture to order; in the ye;irs in whieh he has been estab- 
lished here he has made some of the choicest and most original work 
for the best homes in the city. He provides artistic sketches of his own 
for odd pieces of furniture, and repairs, restores, refinishes and repro- 
duces old furniture such as the colonial and other periods, and is also 
an expert wood car%er. One department of his establishment is given 
o\"er to the buying and selling of antique goods, and as a side line he 
also does upholstering and makes mattresses. Among his specimens 
of master designs may be mentioned the front. of the pipe organ in the 
San Dimas L'nion Church, the grill work and panels of which are from 
his own designs: this work alone has brought hini \erv taxorable 
mention in artistic circles. 

\\'hile in Los Angeles, Mr. Doull was a member ot the Canailian 
Club. During his residence in San Diego he acquired an unlmpro\'ed 
ten-acre ranch south of the city, which he still owns; and in Pomona he 
has purchaseil Rose Court, ct)rner of East Fifth and Reservoir streets, 
and this is his home place. He is \itally interested in anything whicli 
means the further advancement of this section of the state, and works 
with his fellow citizens toward that end. 



GI'.ORGI-: B. WITMAX 

A leadmg man in the bustling business world of Pomona, whose 
trade is constantly growing, is George B. Witman, the well-known 
jeweler and optician, of Second aiul Main streets, who was born at 
Remington, Ind., on August 21, 1S89, the son of A. H. and Mary 
Elizabeth (Heilig) Witman. 

He was but a small lad when he came to Pomona, in 1 894, with his 
parents, anti here he attended the grammar and high school, enjoying 
the educational ati\antages for which the city is famous. He then 
continued his studies for a year at Pomona College, and afterward 
took an optical course for a year at the Southern California Optical 
College in Los Angeles, graduating as a licensed optician. 

In 1910 Mr. Witman entered the employ of his father, A. H. 
Witman, who conducted a jewelry store on West Second Street, Po- 
mona, and through conducting the optical department he obtained 
practical experience, while he also learned the jewelry trade. When, 
therefore, his father was ready to retire, he was ready to succeed him 
at the "old stand"; and on February 19, 1917, he purchased the store, 
stock and good will. 

Since taking o\'er the business, he has doubled the \-olume of 
trade, for he carries only the highest class of jewelry and siherware, 
while he also has the largest stock of high-grade jewelry in Southern 
California, outside of Los Angeles and San Diego. He Is continually 
on the lookout for the latest in the jewelry line, which he adds to his 



IlISToRV AND I'.K )C.K.\1'I1V 7'>3 

stock: and this alertness is imicli appreciated by his many patrons, a 
lary;e percentage of whom are among the class that "know." KecentK. 
alterations have been made in the store; a new Hoor has been laid, and 
there is a new front with extra plate glass windows, so that the estab- 
lishment and its home now rank with the best tor its si/e in all 
California. 

On May 1, 191 1. at I'omona. .Mr. W'itman and Miss I-lva (i. I'.ly 
were married; and they are the parents of two very attractive chil- 
dren, George B., Jr., and Mary l!li/abeth. .Mrs. Witman is a native 
of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and the ilaiighter of I". .M. and Mary I'.Iy, 
worthy pioneers long esteemed as neighbors and friemls. 



Wli.I.lA.M sr.WII Y WOOD 

To de\ote one"s life to the education and training ot the future 
generation is a work worthy of praise from all men, ami nothing can 
exceed it in importance to the great commonwealth. Pomona \ alley 
boasts of educational facilities which rank with the \ cry best in the 
state, and has long been a .Mecca for families who desire the best to 
be had along educational lines for their children, combined with itleal 
home surroundings. 

\^'illiam Stanley Wood, a well-known educator and a member of 
the faculty of the Claremont high school, is a nati\e of Xorthport, 
Long Island, \. \ ., where he was born May 2>. 18S2, a son of James 
and Catherine ( Barton) \\'ood. Bf)th parents are now deceased. lie 
receiveil his preliminary education in the public schools of Brooklyn, 
N. ^ . In 1901 he came to Los Angeles, earning his own way. Desir- 
ing to further enlarge his education, he entered Throop Polytechnic 
Institute in Pasadena, where he was graduated. From the latter insti- 
tution he went to the L ni\ersity of California at Berkeley, and studieil 
manual training at Mcnomonee, Wis. Teaching for a year he cntcreil 
Stout Institute at .Mcnomonee. continuing his studies in the line of his 
specialty. 

After finishing his college courses, Mr. Wood began teaching in 
the Claremont high school in 1911, and is now ser\ing as vice-principal 
of the institution, an able educator and man of sterling worth anil 
character. 

The marriage of .Mr. Wood united him with Miss Beatrice 
I.orina Jones, a native daughter of California, born at Long Beach, 
and one child has blessed their union, Cathryn Jean Wood. The 
family are members of the Congregational Church ami enjo\- the 
triemlship of the community in which they make their home, and join 
in all worthy causes for the upbuilding of the \'alley, both along edu- 
cational and civic lines. For a recreation froi7i his educational work. 
Mr. W()r)il takes a deep interest in agricultural work and in gardening. 



766 HISTOm" AXn T.IOC.R APITV 

He has Linbouiulcd faith in the tutL:rL- in store tor tliis section of 
California, and is ready to back it up in a substantial way when the 
occasion calls for it. In national politics he supports the Republican 
party, but in local elections uses his own judginent in supporting the 
men he belie\es best fitted for ofHce. 



OLIVER HARVEY DUVALL 

That adverse circumstances are but obstacles to be overcome by a 
man of character and energy finds convincing expression in the life 
story of Oliver H. Duvall, who, by his own efforts, has risen above 
his early struggles and become one of the well-known and esteemed 
men of Claremont. He is a native of Indiana, born near Richmond, 
February 3, 1865, a son of Ira and T'lizabeth (Gard) Duvall, both 
now deceased. 

The third child in a family of nine born to his parents, Oliver H. 
received his education in the rural schools and had two years in high 
school, later studied for one year at the Central Normal School at 
Danville, Intl. He then taught schot)l in Indiana and Ohio for two 
years, and at the end of that period came to California, in the winter 
of 1887, first settling in the Ojai \'alley, \'entura County, for three 
years and there engaged in \arious occupations. 

In the fall of 1890, Mr. Duvall decided to gain further educa- 
tional advantages for himself, though handicapped by health none too 
robust, and also a lack of finances. Nothing daunted, however, he 
entered Pomona College, and through the permission of the faculty, 
opened a small book and stationery room in the college, which helped 
him in working his way through college, and in 1895 he was gradu- 
ated with the degree of B.L. That same year he had the opportunity 
to become assistant postmaster and ser\ed in that capacity for two 
years, and was later appointed postmaster, a position which he filled 
for eighteen vears, the office in the meantime growing until it was ad- 
vanced from a fourth to a second-class office. Mr. Du\all received 
his appointment through President McKinley, and has won the esteem 
of his fellow-citizens through his years of faithful service. He em- 
ployed his spare time in studying pharmacy, in due time becoming a 
registered pharmacist, now being proprietor of the College Book and 
Drug Store, antl a well-known figure in the college life of Claremont 
and the Pomona \'allev. He has watched the trend of events in this 
section and taken an active interest in the growth of the college and 
Valley surrounding it, from a very small beginning to the present 
period of remarkable advancement, and can rightfully feel that he has 
had a share in its de\'elopment. Besides his business interests, he is 
interested in horticulture and has dexeloped an (M'ange gro\-e of his 
own in the \'allev. He was also an organizer of the First National 
Bank of Claremont and is a director of the institution. 



HISTORY AND r.KK-.RAPllV ^"'' 

The marriage ol Mr. Duvall. in 1S96. unitc.l him with Miss 
Frances L. Billin^rs. born in New York state and a jrraduate <.f Ober- 
lin College, with the degree of H.A. She was also a p.oneer ot th.s 
section, and established the first kindergarten .n Pomona. One child 
has blessed their union. Florence Elizabeth. The famdy are members 
of the Congregational Church and join in the social and c.vic li e ot 
the communit" In political atlairs .Mr. Duvall supports Republican 
principles and measures. 

FK.WCIS Ci. WYM.W 

\ gentleman who has done much to advance the study of the 
proper care of citrus and other trees is Francis Ci. Wyman, manager 
of the Growers I\.migation and Supply Company, ot Pomona, one oi 
the most enterprising and promising associations actuated by the co- 
operative idea in allCalifornia. He was born m Austinburg. Ohio, 
on December 1. 1867, and when six years old was taken by his father. 
George Wvman. to McPhcrson County. Kans.. where he grew up on 
homestead land. He attended the public schools, and alternately de- 
voted his boyish energies to study and farming. 

In 1892. he came to California and located in Lordsburg. now 
I a \'erne and for four years worked in orange ranches. Like many 
others, this bright young fellow got possessed with the idea of buying 
and improving land, and at Mud Springs, near San Dimas. he bough 
ten acres of an orange grove, brought the tract to a higher state o 
cultivation, and then sold it at a profit. Since that time he has owned 
two other groves. For a number of years he lived in the San Dimas 
district, and later he removed to Claremont. where he now resides. 

\t La Verne, on September 15. 1896. Mr. Wvman was married 
to Miss Charlotte Small of Iowa, by whom he has had two children. 
Marion L. and Charlotte Wvman. Marion was a junior at 1 omona 
College, and having attended the officers' training school at the 
Presidio, was ready to receive a commission in the army when tlic 
armistice was signed. His sister is a junior in the Claremont high 
school The family attend the Congregational Church, and Mr. \\ y- 
man is a York Rite Mason, arid a Shriner, and he is a past master, a 
past high priest and a past c.mmander. all at Pomona, and was master 
of San Dimas lodge. He has conferred the third degree on his son 
Marion in Claremont lodge. He also belongs to the Knights of 
Pythias. 

Mr Wyman is an expert and an authority on fumigation, anc is 
frequently consulted by those anxious to secure the best results He 
has made special addresses on the subject bef<.re the horticultural com- 
mission, and articles from his pen have appeared in the California 



768 HISTORY WD UK X'.KAI'IIY 

Citrograph of Los Angeles, a inaga/.inc licxoted to titrus growing. 
He first became connected with the Growers Fumigation anil Supply 
Company in 1910, and since his assumption of office, the organization 
has greatly extended its Held of operations. 

The (irowers Fumigation and Supply Company of I'omona, 
which now has offices in the In\estment Building, was organized in 
19(19 and is at present manned by the following officers: President, 
Fred J. Smith; \ice-president, D. C. Crookshank; directors, Messrs. 
Smith, Crookshank and J. W. Romick, Lucien S. Taylor, C. (). Baugh- 
man, J. J. Maechtlen, William A. Fox and W. O. P^ritz. The com- 
pany operates under the state laws of California, the same as the 
packing houses, and is an association of citrus fruit growers. 1 hey 
are In intimate connection with seven packing houses, and through the 
latter as members, about 6,000 acres of citrus fruit are represented. 
It is the largest association of its kind in Southern California, and 
about 4,200 acres have been fumigated by the company in one season. 

According to the report of Manager Wyman, made in May, 
1919, the Growers Fumigation and Supply Company, in the face of 
such ad\-erse conditions as scarcity of labor, high cost of materials, 
tents, etc., was able to make a most satisfactory showing before the 
stockholders at the last meeting. The company has sustained almost 
no losses, has laid aside the fine sum of $7,000 as a fund with which to 
replace equipment, has paid six per cent to stockholders, and will re- 
funil .S5,240 to the growers this year. The number of trees fumigated 
last year was 248,196; and as it is clear that through cooperation this 
work has been done much cheaper than it could be innlei-taken by 
pri\-ate contractors, it is also clear that besides the sa\ing ui money, 
there has been a guarantee of good, safe work that must ha\e been 
\'erv consitlerable. 



MAJ. HOMER LEO DUFFY 

()ne of the popular and progressive men of the \'allev, and the 
son of an old pioneer of California, Homer Leo Duffy has demon- 
strated his ability both in business and civic affairs. Born in Lexmg- 
ton, Nebr., September 8, 1883, he is the son of John A. and I'dizabeth 
J. (iVIoran) Duff\'; the father was a contractor and carpenter bv trade, 
and in early days came to the Grass Valley mming coiuitry. He later 
located in Pomona and here bought property between Thomas and 
Garey streets and built the Eureka House, in 1885. Botli pai'ents arc 
now li\ing in Los Angeles, and besides Homer Leo, they ha\e two 
daughters now li\-ing. ' 

Maj. Homer Leo Duffy was educated in the piiblic schools of 
Pomona, aiul then took a course at Williams Business College. His 
first employment was with the F'dison Company, and he has been \\ith 



mSl'OKV AND l'.l( K-.RAl'llV '"'' 

this concern tor the past ciirhtccn years, a recrd wliich speaks tor it- 
self Studious and ambitious, he put in his spare tmie ui study, ancl has 
risen to his present position throu^jh his own ener^^etic eHorts lor- 
merlv cashier t.,r the company, in 1916 he was promoted to the posi- 
tion of chief clerk and now tills that important post 

Besides his business interests. Major DuHy has been active in mili- 
tary atiairs in the Vallev. On March 16, 19(10, he enlisted as a private 
in the National Ciuard, was elected second lieutenant, and after servm^r 
one and one-half years in that capacity, he was elected capt.ain ..r six 
and one-half years. He made a record during this time and while at 
the head of his company every man qualified as a marksman or betrcr 
and received the grade' of -excellenf with regard t.. equipment, etc. 
Major Dutiv himself has made a record in shooting and target prac- 
tice In March. 1916. he was appointed a major in the California 
Quartermaster's Corps, and that year was called into the 1 ederal ser- 
vice, and mustered out January HI, 191 7. ,, , , I, 

On May 9, 1917, Major Duffy was married to Kuth 1.. IJrewei, 
a daughter of 11. 1.. Brewer of I'omona, and a native daughter of 
Pomona Valley. Her father and m<.ther, who were born in Cali- 
fornia, came to I'omona in 1 SS7. and Iroth are living here now and are 
among the early pioneers. Mrs. Brewer attended the i'omona schools 
when a girl. In fraternal affairs Major Dufly is a member of the 
l-lks- the Knights of Columbus, in which order he is a grand kniglit: 
and of the Fraternal Brotherhood. In politics he supports the Ke- 
publican party. A man of fine character. Major DuHy has interested 
himself in all movements for the advancement of his section, and is 
well known throughout the community. 



ALIRI-.D M. loWKl'.S 

\ splendid illustration of the x alue to a community of a worth- 
while institution of such a nature that, continuing to operate, it is 
bound to expand, and expanding, it enriches and advertises the more 
the town of which it is such an important and promising part, is attord- 
cd by Alfred M. Fowkes. the enterprising manufacturer of sweater 
coats and knit goods, whose well-appointed factory is ^^ -''"^ ' •j'^f 
Second Street. Pomona. He was born at Philadelphia, on March 14, 
1876, and after eni<.ying the excellent public school advantages of the 
city, he entered the employ, when a young man. of the 1 hiladelphia JS: 
Reading Railroad, to do ortice work. mil 

With seven years' experience and recommendation, Mr. iowkes 
next embarked inbusiness for himself, establishing a wholesale metal 
refinery: and after that he took up the manufacture of knit goods, w^th 
a specialty of Cardigan jackets. In 1906 he came west and to I o- 
mona, and for a few years tried his hand at real estate and land specu- 



770 HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 

lations, luiililiiiji; aiul the lni\inif aiul selling of houses and orange 
groves; hut then he returnetl east for a iew years and came hack only 
in 1914. 

The next year he estahlished his present husiness — an entei-prise 
that has come to mean so much to Pomona, for it is the only manufac- 
tory of its kind in Southern California, east of Los Angeles. It is, too, 
a growing industry, for it \yas started with one hand-knitting machine, 
and since then tiew and motiern machinery for weaying has been added 
from time to time, and at present all the machinery is run by electric 
power. Zephyr and worsted are used in the manufacture of sweaters; 
the skeins are wound from shuttles onto spools by electric power, ami 
the cloth is then woyen in slips on new power machines, after which 
they are joined by sewing machines, run by electric power, and the 
sweater is complete. The large department stores of Los Angeles take 
nearly all of the output, although some are sold at retail to Pomona 
people. Inasmuch as this has proyen to be a rapidly-growing indus- 
try, larger and more commodious quarters will soon be taken; ami 
then, more than e\er, the sweaters will appear in all colors and styles. 
Six people are regularly employed in the factory, and it is naturally 
only a question of time before the industry will afford many more 
Pomonans employment. 

While at Philadelphia, on February 8, 1899, Mr. Fowkes was 
married to Miss Jennie Kephart, a nati\'e of Philadelphia, whose 
parents represented old pioneer families. Now the happily-mated 
couple ha\-e two children, Alfred M., Jr., and Beatrice. He is a mem- 
ber of the B. P. O. Llks of Pomona. 



EARL FREDENDALL 

Holding an assured position among Pomona's citizens and m her 
husiness enterprises is Earl Fredendall, proprietor of the Fredendall 
Mercantile Agency in the city of Potnona. He was born at Wash- 
ington, Kans., January 13, 1886. His parents, T. B. and Eya J. 
(Collins) Fredendall, came to California with their family more than 
twenty-fiye years ago, locating in 1893 at Ontario and afterwards re- 
turning to Kansas. But the memory of California's sunny skies and 
other attractions lingered with them, and ten years after their first 
\-enture in establishing a home on the Pacitic slope they returned, 
locating permanently at Pomona in 1903, in \\hich vicinity they are 
now li\ing on an orange ranch. 

In a family of six children, consisting of three boys and three 
girls. Earl is the second child. He was educated in the public schools 
and graduateel from the Pomona high school with the class of 1906, 
afterwards taking a year's course in Pomona College. He then was 
employed in the lumber business in South Pasadena, and spent one 



lllS'n >KV AM) l!l« M-,K AI'IIV 



year in Missouri in his father's store. He established his present 
business in April. 191U. In the extren,ity ot his country s nee. he 
ioincd the United States service and was admitted to the l. eld Artil- 
lery. Central Officers" Training Camp at Camp Zachary I aylor. near 
Louisville, Ky. At the time of the armistice he returned home at his 

°"'" \TTredendall married May In. 1919. Miss Ola Thompsnn, a 
native dauj^hter of California, born at Claremont. In his political 
convictions he is an adherent of the principles ^Jv..cated in the p at- 
form of the Republican party, and traternally he =f 1'=^^^.^ :^' '^^^ 
Masonic order, being master of Pomona Lodge No 246. 1- i^ A. Al.. 
and is also a member of the Llks and of the Chamber of Commerce. 
He is deeply interested in the Pomona Valley and its development. 
Public-spirited in its broadest sense, he takes an active interest m the 
betterment of the community in which he resides in every possible way. 

LOUIS ii:rri:ll 

The success in life reached by Loujs Ferrell has been solely 
through his own etiforts, and he deserves the credit due any man who 
has. through his industry and thrift, established a successful business ot 
his own and maintains the same, with honesty and fair dealing as the 
basis of his success. Born in Howard County Mo Apirl 4. SM 
he is a son of Andrew Summers and Juanita ( McMuHen ) l-errell the 
former a farmer by occupation, who fought with the soldiers ot the 
Confederacy in the Civil War. The family first came to Calit..rn,a in 
1891. remaining in Los Angeles one year, and then returned to M.s^- 
souri The lure of the West proved too strong, however, and 18 ^'b 
found them living in Pomona, where the father's death occurred, and 
where the mother now makes her home. 

The youngest of two children. Louis Terrell attended school in 
Missouri, Los Angeles and Pomona, and as a y.ning man learned the 
trade of stone mason. In 1904 he engaged in business tor himself in 
Pomona, as a concrete contractor, and has since that time been active 
in the business life of the city. He folloxvs concrete contracting on a 
large scale, sometimes employing as many as 100 men. Among other 
contracts, Mr. Kerrell constructed the stone work on the Presbyterian 
and the Christian churches in Pomona, the paving of Holt Avenue 
from San Antonio Avenue west, and many of the sidewalk* in the city. 
Deeply interested in the upbuilding of Pomona \ alley. Mr. ler- 
rcll has won the respect of his home city as a public-spirited and en- 
thusiastic worker for the development of this district, and especially 
the water facilities of the Valley. He has been active in the war drives 
during the cuntry's need, and in all ways has proven himself a man 
worthy the respect and friendship he has won in the community. 



HISTORY AX I) I'.H )C,RA1MIV 



rollip: a. stixe 



A natixc of Southern CalifoniKi, and the direct descendant of 
Cahfornia pioneers, RoUie A. Stine was liimself a pioneer in the Hne 
of business he chose for his life work, and the family history is most 
interesting as an example of life in the (iolden States from the days 
of '49 up to the present era. in the "k"!'-!" ^'^vs of romance and hartl- 
ships side by side, the Hrst of the family came west, (irandfather Stine, 
a 'genuine "49er. A few years later his son, Charles R. Stine, who had 
heen born in Ohio, crossed the plains to the state, using horses as far 
as Salt Lake Citv and ox teams from there to the gold mines of 
Tuolumne County. With his three brothers, John, Eugene and Amos, 
he hauled freight from the mines to Stockton, and later he located near 
Petaluma, Sonoma County, where he followed ranching. 

Charles R. Stine chose for his second wife Miss Mattie Weekly, a 
native Californian, and in the early seventies they came to Tustin, 
when Santa Ana was a mustard patch and there were only two orange 
trees in this section, and they were in the city of Orange. He helped 
dig the Santa Ana irrigation ditch from the Santa Ana Canyon, the 
first in the district, taking part payment in stock and part in money for 
his labor. Later, he followed ranching, and is now li\ing retired at 
Chino. He brought his violin with him to Tustin and played for many 
of the dances held by the Spanish in early days. Three children were 
born to this pioneer couple: Flora, Mrs. W. H. Delphey of Chino; 
Rollie A. of this writing, and William A. of Balboa. By a former 
marriage there were two sons, Charles and Orla, both living in Los 
Angeles. 

Rollie A. Stine was born at Tustin, then Los Angeles, but now 
Orange County, on January 12, 1878, and was educated in the Tustin 
grammar and the Chino high schools. As a boy he worked on the 
stock ranches, and later, in partnership with his brother, William A., 
he engaged in stock raising, ranching and dairying on rented lantl near 
Chino; and while ricling the range in the early days of this section he 
had a personal acquaintance with old Spanish families and became 
familiar with their happy lite in those romantic times, and can recall 
many interesting experiences at rodeos, dances and other gatherings, 
when the early Spaniards pro\ed theii- title as the most hospitable of 
peoples. 

In 19(17 Mr. Stine located in Pomona, and toi- a while engaged in 
the breaking and sale of horses. Tiien he established the first \'an 
and storage business in the \'alley, starting with horse power and 
changing to motor power. His business has steailily increased as the 
efficiency of the ser\'ice gi\'en became known, and he iKnv maintains 
a storage warehouse and office at 20.1 North Park Street, where he has 
as full and line an equipment as may usually be found in a city four 



IIISI"< )R^■ AM) I'.li M-.KAI'in' 77?< 

times the si/e of I'omona. In tlie features ol coinpact loailinj^ ami 
careful handling he gives the best possible satisfaction, ami with the 
enclosed vans as a guarantee against damage by the elements, the care- 
fulness of handling the smallest articles as well as those most \ aiuable 
to the owners, he maintains a business which is kept to the top notch 
of modernity, and has succeeded as such methods applieii to business 
always do succeed. In fact, it would be difficult to conceive ot modern 
Pomona ami en\irons without Stine's \an and storage outlit. 1 le is 
also agent for the Transcontinental f- reight Company. 

On December 2.V l')(12, at Chino, Cal., Mr. Stine was marrieil to 
Miss I".mma S. I'intel, a daughter of John V. lintel, an early settler ot 
Pomona, who followed ranching successfully ami is now lieceased. 
l-"i\e children have blessed their union: I.elaml R., (iiadys, Clayton, 
K.N'clvn anil Loren. 



ci.VDi: A. (,Ari:s 

A Californian by ailoption who has been in the (iolden State only 
a few years, but by foresight, good judgment and hard work has been 
so successful that he has made his presence felt and has widely extended 
his influence for good, is Clyde A. (iates, a member o\ the well-known 
lirm of Boyd & dates, the wide-awake real estate dealers, whose offices 
at 10.1 South Garey Avenue are a .Mecca to many. Not only has he 
attained eminence in the field referrctl to, but he is one of the leailing 
orange growers of the X'alley, anei so has much to tio with influencing 
the trend of events there. 

.Mr. (jates was born at Laporte City, Iowa, on December 23, 
1872, and was reared at I-'ort Dodge, in the same state, where he at- 
tended the public schools and then studied at a good business college. 

As a young man, he clerked in a mercantile house at Fort Dodge, 
and then he became tra\eling salesman for a wholesale grocery house. 
Next he went to Sioux lalls, S. D.. and was the first exclusive auto 
dealer there, setting the pace both as a retailer ami a wholesaler, w hile 
handling the lord and acting as agent for the Buick. 

In 1911) .Mr. (iates came to Pomona, and bought twenty-six acres 
of an f)rangc gro\e on Fast Kingslcy Avenue, located in the northeast 
Pomona tract. This gro\e, cf)nsisting of many fine Na\ el and \'alcncia 
trees, is twenty years old, and it has yiekieii as much as .$14.()<in gross 
yearly. He made many improvements there, remoiieled the resilience, 
creating twelve rooms, and in other ways much enhanced the value. 

.Mr. (iates entered into real estate liealing shortly after arriving 
in Pomona, buying, selling and owning property. In the spring ol 
1019, he made a partnership, to operate in realty, with Sidney K. 
Boyd, the name of the lirm this tiitie being styleil Boyii & (iates. Ihey 



774 lllS'r(»m' AM) r.K )GRAPriV 

l1c;i1 in orange groves, altalta ranehes, city property and country 
ranches. They handle onl\' their own property, and do not work tor 
others on a commission basis. 

When, at Fort Dodge, Iowa, and on February 26, 1896, Mr. 
Gates was married, he chose for his wife Miss Letha Nash, a native of 
Iowa, and three children have blessed their union. Howard C, aged 
twentv-two, enlisted soon after the war was declared, and as a United 
States Xavv radio officer, was on the Pacific Mail steamship Cour- 
ageous in the Pacific ser\ice for over tw'o years. Walter N. has 
reached his twentieth year, and Ronald B. is sixteen. The family 
attend the First Presbvterian Church, and Mr. Gates is both a thirty- 
second ciegree Mason and a Shriner, and also a Knight of Pythias. 



D. MAT TOLTON 

Pomona owes much to her pleasant reputation among motorists 
created by the excellent service station and auto supply shop of 
D. Mat Tolton, whose headquarters are at 200 North Garey Avenue, 
from which place he feels the pulse of the motor world and especially 
keeps in touch with motoring in Southern California. He was born at 
Attalla, Etowah County, Ala., on February 28, 1884, and was reared 
on a farm, while he attended the country schools. For a while he fol- 
lowed a mercantile career, first in a general merchandise store near his 
home, then in a grocery store, and later in a gent's furnishing store in 
Attalla. Inhere he joined the Odd Fellows, and he still holds his mem- 
bership in the lodge of his old home town. 

He arri\ed at Pomona in December, 1909, and for a short time 
worked at the Pomona Fruit Growers Exchange packing house, and 
next he clerked in the Star and then in the Curtis Grocery. He after- 
ward started a business of his own in Pomona, opening Tolton's 
Tailors, a cleaning, repairing and tailoring establishment, but at the 
end of four years he sold out, and then homesteadetl 161) acres in Kern 
County. He pro\'ed up on the same, and he still owns 120 of the 
original acres. 

.Mr. Tolton serx'ed a four years' enlistment in the California 
National (iuard, and he went to the Mexican border in 1916, when his 
enlistment expired and he was discharged. He returned to Pomona 
and enteretl the employ of the Hub Clothing Company, where he was 
busy for a year and a half. In No\ember, 1918, he was called for in 
the last draft, and was seven days in the ser\-ice of the World War 
when the armistice was signed. 

Returning to Pomona, he started, in January, 1919, in the auto- 
mobile business with a service station at 200 North Garey A\'enue: 
and Irom the beginning he has been \erv successful. He carries a full 



HISTORY ANT) UK )C.R. MM IV 775 

line ot auto accessories, and has the exclusive aj^ency tor the Kokoiiio 
tires, and he also carries the Fisk tires. Mr. roltoii also lieals in 
second-hand machines; and in three months made a record sale for 
cash, such was the confidence of the buying public in his juilgment and 
fair dealing, of no less than forty tirst-class cars. 

Mr. Tolton was united in marriage on June 26, 1919, at Santa 
Ana, to Mrs. Klizabeth Smith of Pomona. Fraternally he is a member 
of the Knights of Pythias. 

PROFKssoR B. P. sroi r 

Preeminent among the many reasons for which Pomona is to be 
heartily congratulated may be mentioned the advent and continuance 
in that progressive city of Prof. B. P. Stout, the assistant pastor and 
director of music of the I'irst Baptist Church — evangelist, scholar, 
orator and patriot, through whose combined gifts and zeal that church 
has grown by leaps and bounds since he took the congregational helm. 
He was born in Hunterdon County, N. J., and there attended the 
public schools as well as the Lee Institute. He learned the watch- 
maker's trade and became a most practical expert in that field, master- 
ing also a knowledge of diamonds, and for some years he was one of 
the leading business men of Hightstown, \. {.. anil afterwards of 
Philadelphia, Pa. 

Later he took up the work of an evangelist, which he has fol- 
lowed with such signal success for the past twenty-five years, preaching 
and singing the gospel of Jesus Christ in nearly e\-ery state in the 
Union. He has led the singing for many of the noted e\angelists, 
among them Gypsy Smith. W. E. Biederwolf, 1,. W. 1 hmiiall, Billy 
Sunday and others of fame. Wherever he was persuaiied to go, there 
he sprang into an enviable popularity through the originality of his 
methods and the intensity of his zeal, so that many communities sought 
to retain him permanently. 

In the spring of 1919 he came to Pomona as musical director in 
a revival meeting that was held by the First Baptist Church; and the 
leaders of the church, the Rev. J. Harvey Deere, D.D., and his asso- 
ciates, were so much pleased with his singing and the interest he stimu- 
lated that they asked him to name the terms for which he would con- 
sent to become assistant pastor and musical director. Satisfied that at 
last the field for which CJod had originally intended him had been 
opened to his view, he assented and was immediately elected to the 
position by the church authorities. 

This highly complimentary engagement to assist in the build- 
ing up of Pomona comes, after all, as a natural culmination to 
a career thus far steadily rising and brilliant. Professor Stout was 
musical director in evangelistic work and rc\i\al meetings all over 



776 }IIST()R^" AM) I'.K K'.RAIM IN' 

the L'nitcd States for years, and in main churches regardless ot de- 
nomination, and while he was a resident of Philadelphia, noted for its 
high musical standards, he was a member of a quartet and a soloist 
in the First Methodist Church at (iermantown. This quartet gave 
many concerts, and did much to increase an appreciation of good music. 
He has a wonderfully powerful high baritone voice, which was fully 
developed under the direction of the most noted teachers. He was 
also associated with the music of the Temple Church of Philailelphia. 
In 1905 Professor Stout came to Pasadena, and since then has made 
that city his home, although returning often to the Ivast in the prosecu- 
tion of his important work. 

Professor Stout gives "Sermons in Song," something quite orig- 
inal with hmi and of his own composition, and some of his numbers 
have been composed bv him anel are sung with great effect. In the 
Story of the Cross, he relates the life of Christ; while he also offers 
"Mother," "Home and Heaven," "The Prodigal," "God's Call to 
Men," and other original compositions far superior to those usually 
presented by the average earnest but less gifted evangelist. He is a 
member of the International Association of Fxangelists, and also of 
the Hightstown, X. J., lodge of Masons. 

In the city of Trenton, N. J., Professor Stout took for his com- 
panion in life Miss Susie Bamford, a native of Trenton, \. J. She also 
has musical genius and religious inspiration, and often sings with him, 
so that she has been of the greatest assistance to him in his rescuing 
«()rk. Hers is a beautiful mezzo-soprano voice; she, too, has studied 
under famous teachers; and she is among the most proficient of the 
graduates of the Model Musical Institute of Trenton, \. J. Fortu- 
nate would any community be that numbered two such gifted and 
zealous uplifters among its citizen-residents as Professor and Mrs. 
Stout. 



HOMER E. ROBBIXS, PH.D. 

Among the younger professors at Pomona College, Claremont, 
Cal., one who holds a very important position is Homer E. Robbins, 
Ph.D., professor of classics and chairman of the committee on ad- 
mission. He is a native of Oakland County, Mich., and was born 
near Pontiac, June 5, 1881. His education, the foundation of which 
was laid in the public schools, was completed at the University of 
Michigan, Ann Arbor, from which institution he was graduated and 
from which he has received three degrees, that of B.A. in 1905, M.A. 
in 1906, and Ph.D. in 1916. After graduating he taught the classics 
at 1 loldeiMiess School for Boys at Plymouth, X. H., ami later was 
teacher of Latin and Greek at Washington and Jefferson Academy, 
Washington, Pa. He afterwards returned to the University of Mich- 



i^sT()R^■ AND r.i()c.k\i'in' -jii 

Igan at Ami Arbor tor two years' jfraduatc work, aiiii ncvt was pro- 
fessor of Latin at Iransyhania CoIIcjjc, Lcxiiijuton. Ky., from which 
institution he accepted a call to I'omoiia ColleiiC Clarcmoiit, Cal., in 
1915. 

Although a comparati\ cly young man. Professor Rohhins has 
had a wide experience in teaching classics and is giftetl with high ideals 
and markeil executive ability, traits of character of inestimable worth 
to a man in his profession. 

1 lis marriage. August 29, 1912, at Washington, I'a., united him 
with .Miss Lena Richmond, a native of Cattaraugus County, N. \ ., 
ami rcareil in Brailfoni, Pa., and twf) chiklren have been born to them, 
Kleanor .Xhibei and Ksther Alena. With his wife. Professor Robbins 
is a member of the Congregational Church at Claremont, and frater- 
nally he was made a .Mason in the lodge of which Daniel Webster was 
a member, ()li\e IJranch Loilge No. 16, PKinouth, N. I L, atul is now 
master of Claremont Lodge No. 436, I". & A. .M., anil a member of 
Acacia .\Lasonic Iraternity at the I nixersity of .Michigan. 



WILLIAM n. SO.MIR\ILLL 

A resident of Calilornia since lS9l), wiio has become a well- 
informed and successful ht)rticulturist, particularly in citrus culture, is 
William J^. Somer\ille, born in Tcrre Haute, Intl.. on .March 25, 
1868, the only child born to David D. ami Hannah ( HoHman) Somer- 
\iile. nati\es of Indiana. His father, who was of Irish tiescent. was 
reared on an Indiana farm, enlisted and served in the Civil War as tirst 
lieutenant in an Indiana regiment. He died before William was born, 
passing away on December 25, 1867. The mother survived him seven 
years, passing away in 1875. 

From the age of seven years William D. made his own wa\ in the 
world, working on farms for his boani and. going to school, later put- 
ting in ail his time on the farm. In those days much was expected of 
him, and, as he says, he worked two shifts a tiav — eight hours in the 
forenoon and eight hours in the afternoon. But he stooii up under this 
strenuous life and it maile a man of him. He was always intensely 
interested in the Pacific Coast country and decided to come to Cali- 
fornia to live, so on July 22, 1890, lie arrived at Redlands. For a 
time he was on a survey corps, doing land surveying, and became a 
transitman, continuing at civil engineering for four years, when he 
returned to Indiana, where he was married, being united with Miss 
F.dna Wolf, also a native ot Indiana. The young couple immediately 
returned to Calif(jrnia. locating at Riverside, where he followed citrus 
culture. Lie was with the National Orange Company for a period of 
eighteen years, beginning at the bottom by liigging holes and setting 



778 ITISTORY .WO lUonRAPIIV 

trees, but was soon placed in eharji;e of a small u;ro\e. For the last 
twelve years, however, he was superintemient in charge of their 800 
acres of citrus groves, a position he filled ably and well, being espe- 
cially qualified for this responsible work. 

Ill [anuarv, 1916, he resigned his position to accept the superin- 
tendency of the J-^\ergreen ranch, a post he is now ably filling. His 
close application and experience of many years in citrus growing has 
placed him among the best-informed men ii^. his Ime of work, and it is 
no doubt due to his care and close application to the orchard that the 
Evergreen Ranch, which comprises 200 acres of oranges and lemons, is 
one of the best bearing in the La Verne tlistrict. Mr. Somerville con- 
siders this one of the best sections in the state for raising Navel oranges 
and has purchased a full bearing Navel orchard on the base line 
northwest of La Verne. 

In handling the large interests entrusted to him, Mr. Somer\ iUe 
has established an enviable reputation for his capability and square 
tlealing, and he is justly popular among the citrus growers of Soutliern 
California. In politics he is a protectionist and. a stanch supporter ot 
the Republican party. Mr. and Mrs. Somerville are the parents of 
one daughter, Mrs. Ethel Hamner. 



FERRIS J. NUNNELEY 

An active operator in important Pomona realty who has become 
especially prominent during the late war on account of his volunteer 
work in war activities, is I^'erris J. Nunneley, a nati\e son, born in Butte 
County, on xMarch 2, 1886, the son of James and Emma (Gaby) 
Nunneley, the former a native of Ohio, who crossed the great plains 
by ox team to Butte County in 18.^3, where be became an early settler, 
and the latter a native of California. Enjoying the distinction of being 
a charter member of the Pomona Chamber of Commerce, our subject 
is still a li\ e and honored member of that efficient organization. 

'i'he lad I'erris went to the public schools at Chico and later to 
the Lincoln high school in San Francisco, and afterward took a course 
in bookkeeping at the San Francisco Business College. Coming to 
Pomona in 1907, he liled on a homestead ot 160 acres in Palo \\'rile 
\'alley, and proved up on the same, di\iding his time between the 
homestead and Pomona; and having sold the acreage in 1911, he 
bought a fi\'e-acre orange gro\e on North Towne Ax'enue, \\hich he 
still owns. This he has improved, developeil and brought to a high 
state of cultivation, so that it is now a good producer. He has also 
owned other orange groves in the \'alley, buying, selling and improv- 
ing them; and among them was a ten-acre gro\e in the Packard Tract, 
which he had title to for three years. Besiiles his other acti\ities, he 



IIIST( )l'!^• AND I'.K H-.U Al'lIV 77'' 

carries on a fjciicral real estate business; and as he is thoroiiJL^Iily 
familiar with soil conditions and land \aliiations. his patrons titui that 
he is an aj^ent out ol the oniinary. 

Mr. Nunnelev is not only a faithful and alert member ol the lirst 
Methodist Church, but he is Scout Master ot the Boy Scouts of the 
church, and leails some sixty boy mei7ibers in their strenuous duties. 
He regartls this organizing the most pleasing thing that he has done, 
atul finds great happiness in taking the boys out every month, l.ach 
summer, too, he takes them to camp — Lytic Creek Camp in the San 
Bernardino Mountains — and there they have gooil bunks, a mess 
house and heaiiquarters. .Mr. Nunneley is also active in the Sunday 
School work of the church. He belongs to the Knights ot I'ythias of 
Pomona, and was a keeper of the records and seals during the time 
when the Pythian building was being erected in I-'ast Holt Avenue. 

After serving as director of the Packard Water Company, .Mr. 
Xunncley was elected the company's president in May, 1919. 

Of late Mr. Xunncley has been associated with the Service Pub- 
lishing Company of Washington, I). C, which is compiling a recortl of 
the soldiers who serveil in the recent war, and also a record of the Red 
Cross and other organizations that assisted in the great work. 1 \c has 
Pomona \'alley for his district, anil has been collecting the valuable 
data from this section which will be incorporated and publisheti later. 
During the war .Mr. Nunneley was also a member of the examining 
board, and a lieutenant in the drives of the Chamber of Commerce: 
and he received from the L nited States Treasury Department a meilal 
for the selling of war saving stamps. 

At Pomona, on r)ctober 12, 1910, Mr. Nunneley was marrieil to 
Miss Pearl Reed, a native of Indiana, who was reared from her babv- 
hood, or since 1887, in Pomona. She is a graduate ot Pomona Col- 
lege. They have one tiaughter, \'irginia. 



I.INDSA^- M. MILLS 

Contributing substantially to the placing of realty and its ilev eloii- 
ment in Pomona and throughout the \'alley on a sound, broail basis, a 
native son. of Canadian extraction, Lindsay M. Mills has amplv and 
handsomely justitieil the decided welcome accoriled his tamily on their 
entrance into "the States," by becoming one ot the most etficient arul 
(.Icsirable of her aggressive and progressive citizens. .\s a member ol 
the well-known firm of Bangle & Mills (some idea of whose volume 
of business is elsewhere given in this work in the sketch of I'.. I',. 
Bangle, another enterprising citizen ami broker), .Mr. .Mills has stead- 
ily sought to influence and guide the treml ot real estate sales in this 
section so that not only would a livelv inisiness be done, but that, 
through honesty and justness in liealing. \ alues sought for would be at- 



780 HISTORY AXl) I'.H x'll^MMP,' 

taincil and prcscrxeil, and such a soiuul ami SLibstantial foundation he 
created as might be proof aj^ainst panics and those deteriorations so de- 
structive to a community, antl often the cause of a setback from which 
a town slowly or ne\er reco\ers. 

Born in Riverside County, on January 29, 1889, Mr. Mills was 
the son of Archibald and Susan (Miller) Mills, members of a family 
hailing from Canada. He attended the excellent grammar and high 
schools of Rixerside, and finished with a course at the best business 
college there; and after following mercantile employment for a time in 
that town, he associated himself with the General Fertilizer Company 
of San Bernardino and Los Angeles. Becoming familiar with the busi- 
ness, he traveled for some time on the road; and in 1912 came to 
reside at Pomona. 

Mere he entered the real estate field as a general operator, mak- 
ing a specialty of selling San Joaquin Valley lands; and after three 
years of management for himself, during which time he put over some 
large deals, he formed that partnership with K. K. Bangle of Pomona, 
under the firm name of Bangle &: Mills, which has proven of such 
benefit not only to the two pushing partners, but to the communities 
whose interests they have looked upon as their own. Particularly as 
large operators in orange groves and alfalfa ranches,Messrs. Bangle 
& Mills ha\'e been \ery successful; nor would anyone who has e\er 
dealt with them en\y or begrudge them any of their prosperity. 

As a patriotic, able-bodied citizen, lo\ing justice and zealous for 
freedom, Mr. Mills, true to the Canadian traditions of his family, and 
ec]ually American in his ideals, was in the great World War and was 
ready when the armistice was signed (and only prevented by that his- 
toric e\ent) to go into action. As early as June, 1917, he enlisted 
with Battery D of the One Hundred Forty-fourth Field Artillery (the 
(irizzlies), trained at the Presidio, at San Francisco, and at Camp 
Kearny, and went overseas with the Fortieth Division, in the summer 
of 1918. He went into training on the 155 G. P. F. French field guns, 
and was thus fully prepared in e\ery way to be of service to the great 
Allied cause; but sent back to the United States, he was ordered out 
of ser\ice in February, 1919, after which he resumed the real estate 
business he had laid down when he went to the front. 

( )n June 17, 1919, in Pomona, occurred the marriage of Mr. 
Mills, when he was united with Miss Martha V. Krehbiel, born In 
Mc Pherson, Kans., who came to California with her parents, and is a 
graduate of Pomona high school and Pomona business college and was 
\'ery popular in the younger social set. Greatly interested in the growth 
of the Pomona Valley, Mr. iMills believes its best interest can be 
furthered by the Chamber of Commerce, in which he is a \ery acti\e 
worker and considers it the best asset of the county. 

Socially, Mr. Mills is as much a fa\orite as he is popular in busi- 



HISTORY AM) I'.loCRAI'llN' 7S1 

ncss and in army circles. He is acti\c in the lirst Presbyterian Church 
ot Pomona, standing openly tor religion anil truth, and is a welcome 
member ot the Knights of Pythias and was a charter member ol Clias. 
P. l\owc Post, \o. .^0, American Legion, at Pomf)na, anil, in the same 
self-sacriticing way he enlisted, still stands ready to uphold the patriotic 
principles of the Legion. 



siii;llbir\ m. ki:p.\i k 

Since becoming a citizen of Pomona \'alley in 191(1, Sheillnirn .M. 
Kepner has been identilied with several of the important interests here 
represented, all of which have benefited by his business ability and 
general progressi\eness. Born in Pennsylvania, Mr. Kepner has a 
heritage of Scotch blood, his paternal grandfather, Benjamin Kepner, 
having been a native of the land of the heather and came to Pennsyl- 
\ania in his early ilays, locating in Juniata County. Shellburn's father, 
Henry Kepner, was born in Juniata County, Pa., and married Caroline 
Kloss. Of a family of seven chililren, Shellburn was the fourth in 
order of birth, being born at Port Royal, Pa., \o\ember 6, 1 853. I le 
was brought up on the farm and received an excellent education in the 
public schools and at Tuscarawas Academy. After finishing his school 
days, he followed farming for a time. In 1 881 he was married to Miss 
Emma McCuIloch, a daughter of James and Mary A. ( Bcal ) .McCul- 
loch, born in Pennsylvania, of Scotch-Irish descent. Grandfather 
Samuel McCuIloch, born in the north of Ireland, came to Pennsylvania, 
locating in Tuscarawas \'alley, where he built a mill, always known 
as McCulIoch's mills. Mrs. Kepner received her early education in 
the local schools, and also attended the Tuscarawas Academy. 

Shortly after their marriage in 1882, Mr. and Mrs. Kepner 
moved to Shenandoah, i'agc County, Iowa, bought 160 acres of land 
and engaged in farming and stock raising. Later they bought eightv 
acres more, de\eIoping a splendid farm. While here Mr. Kepner 
served on the school board and was an enterprising and progressi\e 
citizen. In 1899 they sold their farm and removed to Boise Citv, 
Idaho, where they bought land and engaged in stock raising, continu- 
ing there successfully for a number of years, when thev decided to 
locate in California. On August 1, 1910, they came to Pomona and 
purchased a residence, ami in January, 1911, he bought his present 
orange grove on Foothill Bouvclard and later bought ten acres more 
adjoining, the whole tract now being in oranges and lemons. They 
have added many improvements to the place, where they occupy a 
beautiful stucco residence, built along the lines of Spanish architecture. 
With three associates, he developed water by sinking deep wells and 
installed a pumping-plant for irrigating their orchards. 

Mr. and .Mrs. Kepner are the parents of four childreti : .Marv 

3'.< 



782 HISTORY AXD HI; )(U-; M'lIV 

Caroline, wife of A. S. Mack of Eureka: Roy M., an orange grower, 
who resides near his parents; Helen M., a graduate of Flagstaff Nor- 
mal School, was a teacher here and is now the wife of W. E. Bailey 
antl resities at Beaumont, Cal., ami Margaret Clementine, Mrs. G. I. 
Billheimer of San Pedro: she was a graiiuate of Bonita high school 
and then attended Oregon Agricultural College at Corvallis, Ore. 

Mr. and Mrs. Kepner are hoth Presbyterians, hut now are mem- 
bers of the San Dimas Union Church, Mr. Kepner being a trustee. 
Mrs. Kepner is a member of the Wednesday Afternoon Club, San 
Dimas, and a leader in the social life of the community. In 1919, 
they made an extended visit of three months throughout the p]ast, 
going \ia Seattle and Yellowstone Park back to Boston, New York, 
Pennsylvania and Iowa, where they visited their old homes, returning 
on the Santa Fe and taking in Grand Canyon on their way home. 

During his residence in Pomona Valley, Mr. Kepner has become 
very prominent in the affairs of the community. He was an organizer 
and is a director in the Farmers and Merchants Bank of La Verne, a 
member of the La Verne Orange Growers Association and of the La 
Verne Lemon Growers Asosciation, and president of the board of 
trustees of the Bonita Union high school. He has two splendid orange 
groN'Cs which he has brought up to a high state of cultivation. Their 
beautilul home is presided o\-er gracefully by his estimable wife, who 
is aeti\e in cix'ic and club work and a highl\' accomnlished woman. 



P. .T. NEILLY 

An experienced orange grower, whose success in creating ^•aluable 
citrus gro\'Cs has gi\-en him great faith in California orange lands — 
a faith he is desirous at all times of sharing with others — is P. J. 
Neilly, who was born at Barrie, forty miles north of Toronto, Ontario, 
Canada, on August 16, 1865. His father was Matthew Neilly, who 
came of good old Scotch Presbyterian stock in the north of Ireland ; and 
while yet a lad, he crossed the briny deep with his parents and settled at 
Toronto in the New Work!. There he grew up and in early man- 
hood married Miss Elizabeth Hill, a native of Toronto, whose par- 
ents were Isnglish, from the world's metropolis. They were farmer 
folk in Ontario, and so spent their entire days there; devoted to their 
ten children — eight sons and two daughters — among whom the subject 
of our sketch is the fourth youngest in the order of birth. 

Reared on his father's farm, he received a good education in the 
public schools and perhaps such a training as would be especially 
valuable to one growing up in agricultural Canada; but wishing to sec 
the great West, he started working his way to Vancouver, B. C, ar- 
riving on the Coast in the "boom" year of 1886. During this ad- 
\enturous migration, he followed the carpenter's trade, and soon 



iiisi"! n<.\ AM) I'.ii ic.K Ai'in' rs.^ 

aftcrwarii came to lacoma. Wash., where he eii)j;a}ied in coiitractinf; 
and ImiKliiifi;- He also went Into the realty tieKl. and bought and 
sold until the boom burst, when ha\ injj; o\ errcached. like many over- 
confident people of that period, he lost liea\ ily. 

In I8')5 he came to Los Angeles and continued contracting and 
buildinjf, as well as real-estate speculation; but havinjr learned a lesson 
in Tacoma. he escaped the disaster of many and made some money. 
Next he went to Arizona, where he followed mininjj; and was in charge 
of construction at \arious mines from the North to lucson ; and then, 
once again, he followed contracting and building. Alter that he 
crossed to Cananea. Mexico, where he spent six years as foreman of 
public construction with the Cananea Copper Company, and he was 
there during the riots when the Mexicans surrounded them, and they 
were besiegeil five davs and had six men killetl. The Americans all 
stood guard until Colonel Coscoliski, conmiander of the Kurales, ar- 
rived. 

Soon after that Mr. Neilly received an offer from the Helvetia 
Copper Mining Company in Arizona to become their foreman of 
construction, and as a consequence of the inilucemcnts, he decided to 
return to the States and again cast in his lot in Arizona, and only after 
three years in that responsible position there, ditl he return to Los 
Angeles. He had been employed for eleven years steadily, without 
losing a day's pay; and with such a record took up new problems in 
a new field with courage and cheerfulness. 

On returning to California Mr. Neilly made citrus culture his bus- 
iness, for he had long desired to enter that field; and in 1910 with 
his brother he came to Claremont and bought eleven acres on the 
Foothill Boulevard, which he sold a year later at a big profit. They 
then bought another grove, which they immediately improved anil 
beautified, making of it very valuable property; and in April, 1919, 
they sold it at a big advance, when the brothers dissolved partnership. 
He thereupon purchased ten acres on LLarrison and Mountain avenues, 
Claremont, as well as a residence adjoining, and Mr. Neilly now owns 
a desirable place f)f eleven ami a half acres. He has a splemlitl, full- 
bearing grove of Na\ els ami X'alencias, and a large modern residence 
with beautiful surroundings. Partly as a sequel to his- activity in 
these fields, Mr. Neilly is a director in the College Heights Orange 
and Lemon CJrowcrs Association. 

In Los Angeles, .August 16th, 1905, .Mr. Neilly was married to 
Mrs. .Mildred Ann (Shaw) Conklin, a native of Lincoln County, 
.Mo. Mrs. Neilly is a daughter of Bethucl and Cordelia (Walker) 
Shaw, born in Lincoln County, Mo. Mr. Shaw's father was born 
in the north of Irelaml and his mother in Kentucky, of Lnglish 
parents. They moveti to Black Hawk, Gilpin County, Colo., in 1870, 
where Bethucl Sh.iu engagcil in mining until his death, while his wid<nv 



784 llIS'l'()R^■ AXi) r.ior.RAniv 

now makes her home in Denver. Mrs. Neilly is a cultured and re- 
fined woman, who has become an invaluable helpmate to her husband. 
He is a member of the Knights of Pythias of Pomona, and both he and 
his good wife are active as members of the Congregational Church, at 
Claremont. In national politics a Republican, Mr. Neilly knows no 
partisanship in his loyal support of every mo\ement for the uplift 
and the upbuilding of the locality. 



JESSE W. HOUGH 

A native son of California, and with forbears who were pioneers 
of the state, Jesse W. Hough was born in Santa Barbara, Cal., October 
24th, 1885, a son of Theodore H. and Helen (Clarke) Hough. 
The father combined ranching with his profession as a teacher, and 
came to the state in 1874, the mother having been here since 1871, 
and they were married in the Golden State. The father passed on 
in 1888. His widow came to Claremont in 1896 and built a home 
here and took an acti\-e part in Congregational Church work and the 
upbuilding of Claremont. She served a term as selectman of the 
town of Claremont and was one of the original stockholders of the 
Claremont Water Company and of the Claremont Improvement 
Company and for years was a member of the Rembrandt Club and of 
the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. 

Jesse W. Hough was the only child of his parents, and received 
a splendid education, his first schooling being in the public schools of 
Claremont, then to the preparatory school and Pomona College, from 
which institution he was graduated with the degree of B. S., in 1908. 
He attended Stanford University one year, and then Yale for two 
years, lea\ing the latter with the i.iegree of Master of Forestry ni 
1911. After finishing his college courses, Mr. Hough spent one year 
as forest assistant of San Bernardino in the United States Poorest 
Service. Since that time he has been engaged in orange culture in 
Claremont, de\eloping a ranch of se\'en acres, in which he finds his 
scientific knowledge of material aid. 

The marriage of Mr. Hough at San Dimas, November 4, 191,'>, 
united him with Miss Martha Gore, a native of Illinois but reared 
in San Dimas, who also is a graduate of Pomona College, class of 
1908, with the B. S. degree. She afterwards taught in San Dimas 
schools. To Mr. and Mrs. Hough two children ha\-e been born, 
Phoebe Anne, and Theodore Holmes. The family are members of 
the Congregational Church. 

lla\ing grown up with this section of the state, Mr. Hough is 
naturally a believer in e\-en greater de\-elopment for Pomona Valley 
than has been demonstrated in the past decade. Every facility is here 
for future progress, together with the men of broad and wise \'ision 



IIISTORV AXl) l'.l« )C.R AI'IIV 7f<^ 

necessary for such aiK anccmcnt, all ot tluni pulling together tor the 
best interests of the commonwealth. With such nun at the helm, no 
future prosperity is too j>;reat to he possible. 

I'ond of outdoor life and exercise, Mr. Ilouyh joins in uith the 
social life of the community in golf, and other sports, and also finds 
congenial recreation in hunting. 



CITARIFS. F OTTO 

An enterprising nu-rchant ot I'omona who has done much to 
adyance trade here, especially in one or two tields in close touch with 
local life, is Charles !■",. Otto, the vice-president and manager of the 
Avis Hardware Company. lie was born at Paterson, in Passaic 
County, \. J" nn February 1, 1883, and there attendeil the grammar 
and high schools. When twenty-liye years old, he removed to Cald- 
well, Essex County, the same state, and began his business career with 
the (irossman Bros. Hardware Company, in which large establishment 
he gained a thorough knowledge of the business. 

In the fall of 1912, seeking a larger field, he came west to Cali- 
fornia and in Xovember pitched his tent in Pomona. For a year, 
he was one of the salesmen of the A. B. Axis Hardware Company, and 
then for four years he took the management of that business. On 
March 1, 1918, he located in Fl Centro, in the Imperial ^'alley, and 
there became assistant manager of the Imperial \'alley Hardware 
Company, which operates seven stores in the \'alley. and does a \ erv 
e\tensi\e trade; liut on March 1, 1919. he returned to Pomona and 
put on a special sale for the reiluction of stock with the Avis Com|Kmy. 
On May 1. the corporation referred to was formed, ami Mr. Otto was 
made vice-presiilent and manager. Besides carrying a full line of 
strictly modern hardware, and doing the largest hanlware business 
in the \'allcy, the A\is Company ha\e recently added an auto-ac- 
cessories department. Commenting on the announcement of the in- 
corporation of the company, the Pomona newspaper said: 

"Mr. Otto is one of the enterprising young business men of Po- 
mona. He is thoroughly familiar with the hanlware trade, aiul has had 
a wide experience in every phase of the work. He is enthusiastic over 
the future of this locality and believes that Pomona is so situated as 
to make necessary its rapid growth as a business and trading center, as 
well as one of the choicest residence localities in the state." 

The marriage of Mr. Otto and Miss Mary Louise Rickerich. a 
native of Caldwell. X. J-, and the daughter of William and Louise 
Rickerich, occurred at Caldwell on April 12. 1912. Mr. Otto is a 
member, with his wife, of the First Congregational Church, and Mrs. 
Otto is also actixe in the Fbell Club, while her husband is a popular 
-Mason. 



786 HISTORY AXD UK K'.RAPHY 

CLEMENT ROBERT MAY 

No industry in the history of the country has taken greater 
striiles than the automobile business, and among the leaders in this 
business in Southern California, Clement Robert May stands foremost. 
He is a nati\e of Iowa and was born in Ollie, Keokuk County, in that 
state, August 28, 1879. His father, Martin L. May, now deceased, 
was a farmer by occupation, and his mother, before her marriage, was 
Aliss Isabell De Armond, \^ho now makes her home in Pomona. 

Clement Robert is the oldest child in a family of four boys. He 
was educated in the public schools of Hedrick, Iowa, and as a young 
man of eighteen engaged in the shoe business, continuing this occupa- 
tion six years, and in the meantime handling a side line of bicycles. 

He came to California in 1905, first locating at Los Angeles, 
where he followed the occupation of motorman for a year and a half. 
He then came to Claremont in 1907 and engaged in the bicycle busi- 
ness in a modest way and a year later embarked in the automobile 
business, in which he has been very successful. He occupies a building 
55 feet by 140 feet in dimension and employs ten men. He handles 
the Buick car, a machine of exceptional merit, and the well known 
G. M. C. and Reo trucks, and his garage is well equipped for the care 
of machines. 

He married Miss Dora Sechrist, October 24, 1900, at Hedrick, 
Iowa, and they are the parents of one child, Burdette by name. Mr. 
May is a member of the Baptist denomination and also active member 
of the Claremont Chamber of Commerce; is a member and vice- 
president of the California Automobile Trade Association, with its 
slogan, "Clean and attractive places of business," and his public spirit 
never tails in any emergency for the city of his adoption. 



WILLIAM ELLIS JOHNSON 

'I he proprietor of the Mission Ice Cream and Confectionery 
Store, William Ellis Johnson is a nati\-e of Rochester, Minn., and was 
born August 20, 1890. He is a young man of progressive ideas and 
a decided talent for business, as is evidenced in the steady atlvaneement 
he has made since entering business life. He caiue to Claremont, Cal., 
with his parents in 1905, at the age of fourteen, ami completed his 
education in the Claremont schools. The father had conducted a 
bakery ami confectionery store in Minnesota, and it was in his father's 
store that young Johnson act]uired a knowledge of the bakery and 
confectionery business. After completing his schooling he was asso- 
ciated with a nursery company in San Bernardino, and afterward re- 
turned to Claremont, where he conducted a clothing and pressing 
establishment on IIar\ard Avenue, known as "The College Tailors." 



IIISTORV AM) I'.K X'.KAl'llV 7f<7 

He made a success of the business, tlisposeil ol it aiui purchaseii '" I he 
Mission," formerly owned by J. B. Anderson, and located at 2.?5 
West I'irst Street, of which he took possession August 1. 191 9, al- 
though he had previously spent three years in Mr. Anderson's employ. 
The Mission occupies a building by itself on the business street of 
Claremont and is the most attractive store on the street. Both ex- 
terior aiul interior are of Mission ilesign, and under the able and 
efficient management of its owner, its location and beautitul artistic 
appointments attract the best class of patronage and it enjoys a large 
business. 

Mr. Johnson was united by his marriage with Miss Alma Daw- 
son, a native of Pomona, anil of their liappy union two interesting 
children have been born, \'irginla Irene and Pauline May. I- raternal- 
ly Mr. Johnson is junior deacon in the Claremont Lodge No. 4.^6, 
!•'. & A. .M., and is a member of the I. < ). O. !•". at Claremont. 



MISS I LOR A A. RIC1-: 

The superintendent of the Da\ id and Margaret Home at La 
Verne, Miss Flora Rice, has won for herself a warm place in the af- 
fectionate regard of the community for her years of'devotetl service 
to the children in her care at the Home. She was born in Rochester, 
Minn., the daughter of Rev. \V. C. Rice, born in Joliet, Will County. 
111., who enlisted in the Civil War, but was rejected. He was a 
graduate of Hamlin L'ni\ersity, the growth of which he has always 
been actively interested in and was ordained a minister in the M. I'.. 
Church. He preached in southern Minnesota for over fifty years and 
was also a presiding elder. He is now se\enty-eight years old arul he 
and his wife reside in St. Paul. They were the parents of live 
children: Mrs. Helen Peck, residing in San Francisco, is a deaconess; 
Mrs. Ldna Gerlick, residing in Minneapolis; Jessie, dietl in infancy; 
Flora; and W. A., a .Methodist minister in St. Paul. 

Flora Rice was educated in the schools of St. Paul and attended 
the Winona Normal, from which she was graduated, having majored 
in kindergarten work. In 19(15 she came to California and taught in 
the Palo Alto schools, doing a special line of work. In 190S she 
was in charge of the kindergarten department of the I'red Finch 
Orphanage in Oakland, after which she taught for a short period 
in Fergus Falls. Minn. In April, 1911. she accepted her present 
pf)sition as superintendent of the David and Margaret 1 lome. With 
the same zeal and energy that had characterized her former kinder- 
garten work, she took charge of the institution a few months after 
its establishment, when the building was only half tinishcil. the 
grounds :iiid vard utirn-,-,! f'l.r :uid there were no fruit or shade trees. 



7HS. HISTORY AND I'.loC.RAI'll V 

Xow they have a well-fiirnishctl, attractive and comfortable home, a 
beautiful lawn, well-cared for garden and a fine \ariety of young truit 
trees. 

Miss Kice, ami her de\-oteti assistant, Miss Fdsie Barton, as 
the present condition of the Home indicates, are cjualihed for the posi- 
tion with their natural ability and lo\-e for children and their educa- 
tional training along those lines. Thev preside o\-er the institution 
with dignity and grace. The chiKiren respond to their devotion and 
show by their obedience and willingness their deep affection for them. 
The children all live at the Home and attend the public schools and the 
Methodist I'.piscopal Sunday School at La Verne. The object of the 
home is to help train and teach children to be self-supporting. There 
are at present eighty-seven children in their care, forty-three girls and 
forty-four boys. Flora A. Rice is indeed engaged in the most noble 
work possible, for nothing can equal her labor of love. With all the 
multitudious cares devolving upon her in connection with the Home, 
she still finds time to take an active part in the religious life of the 
community. She is a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church at La Verne, and prominent in the work of all its societies, 
especially that of the Lpworth League. 



GEORGE CYRIL PLATT 

A \ery successful and influential young man of San Dimas is 
George Cyril Piatt, cashier of the F'irst National Bank of San Dimas 
and the San Dimas Savings Bank, who is a native of Brantford, 
Ontario, born T'ebruary 19, 1887, the only child of Geo. F. and 
Catherine (Mudge) Piatt, born, respectively, in Brantford and Xew- 
foumlland, who were agriculturists at Brantford until 1S87, when 
he came to the San Fernando ^'allev, California. His wife ami baby 
boy joined him in 1888, and here the father engaged in horticulture, 
setting out an orange grove at Chatworth Park. This ranch he sold 
m 1892 and located at San Dimas, where they ha\e since engaged in 
citrus culture. 

George Cyril Piatt's first recollections are of sunny California, 
where he received a good education in the San Dimas schools and in 
the Pomona high school, graduating from the latter in 1906. Soon 
afterwards he entered the Bank of San Dimas which was later nation- 
alized as the First National Bank, in time becoming assistant cashier. 
When the San Dimas Savings Bank was organized in 1911 he was also 
made assistant cashier of that institution and so well did he fill them 
that he was in July, 1919, elected by the directors of the above insti- 
tutions as cashier of the two banks, his \ears of experience making him 
well (jualified to hold the same. 

.Mr. Piatt was married in Covina, where he was united with Miss 



IIISTORV AND I'.K )C.k AIMIV TS" 

\'v\vfnnc laiilJtT. born in Los Angeles, a graduate ol the Co\ ina high, 
and tAvo interesting children, Robert and Priscilla, have blessed the 
union. 

Ha\ing leave of absence from the bank Mr. IMatt served in '\ . 
M. C. A. war work in different California army camps trom June, 
1918. until December. 1918. He is an active member of the San 
Dimas Chamber of Commerce. 

Mr. Piatt was made a Mason In San Dimas Lodge No. 428, 
I". & A. .M., being a past master of the lodge. He is a member of 
Pomona Chapter. R. A. M.. and with his wife is a member of the 
I'piscopal Church in Covina. 



HORAC1-, I . HOWARD 

An Eastern gentleman who has made his contribution to the 
successful development of the citrus industry in California is Horace 
F. Howard, who lives at San Dimas and whose ranch is located on 
the Foothill Boulevard. He was born at \'ineland, \. J., on January 
19, 1877. the son of F. F. Howard, who became a physician and 
orange grower in Florida, and is now tleceased. He married Miss 
Clara Graham and she is also now deceascil. The only child of this 
union is the subject of our review. His education began with the 
public schools at Wilmington, Del., ami extentied to the high school 
of that town, from which he went to the Philadelphia College of Phar- 
macy, where he was graduated in 1898. For nine years thereafter 
he worked in Philadelphia as a pharmacist. All this while he was 
steadily preparing for the work he was to do once he had settled on 
the Pacific Coast in 1900. 

After eleven years in the drug business in Los Angeles. Mr. 
I loward turned his attention ami energies to citrus growing in San 
Dimas, and in that field he has been more and more successful. The 
truth is. that few men understand the problems of citrus culture better, 
while Mr. Howard has the advantage that he is both productive ot 
new ideas ami willing to introduce new ways of doing a thing. 

In Los Angeles on December 15,1906 Mr. llowani was married 
to Miss Fmma A. Banta of Claremont. She was born in Albany, 
Ore., and has been deeply interested all her life in the gradual and 
splendid development of her native section. 

A thoroughly patriotic citi/en. and one who is a member of the 
L . S. Navy League and vigorouslv supports every patriotic program of 
the government, .Mr. Howard is nevertheless a man above party and 
seeks to vote as he thinks — indepemlently. every time. He is a 
Mason, a member of the Consistory, and also a Shriner. anil in all 
fraternal circles is second to none in well-deserved popularity. 



700 HISTORY AXl) moGRAPHY 

MITCHELL K. METZ 

A nati\c of the artistic ami thoroughly up-to-date city of Buda- 
pest, Hungary, where he was born on December 25, 1872, Mitchell K. 
Metz enjoys the distinction of being the leading fashionable tailor of 
Pomona. He was educated in his native city, and while still in his 
home town started to learn the tailor trade; but when eighteen years 
of age he sailed from luirope for America, and at New York, of late 
years recognized as one of the great tailoring centers of the world, he 
finished his apprenticeship. He then removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, and 
there became associated with the Cincinnati Woolen Coni])any; and he 
followed the trade in Baltimore and Chicago. 

At the age of twenty-four, he started in business for himself, and 
opened a shop at Farmer City, near Chicago, 111.; but satisfied that the 
Pacific Coast had an even more brilliant future than the great interior 
metropolis by the lake, he journeyed west to Los Angeles and became a 
cutter for Messrs. Popkin & Xestor, the well-known tailors. In 1905, 
he made his last removal, and cast his lines in Pomona, where he has 
since resiiletl. 

Mr. Metz busies himself with tailoring for both ladies and gen- 
tlemen, and caters only to the first-class trade. In so doing, he has 
bLiilt up a fine reputation for quality and "class," for once that his 
patrons ha\e come to test his expertness and proficiency, they have 
seldom or ne\er left him for others. His knowledge of Old World 
styles, ami his anticipation of New World wants have made his work 
\er)' popular. 

Mr. Metz has also been quite acti\'e in real estate development 
in Pomona Valley. He has erected three houses in Pomona, and 
bought and sold a number of orange groves; ami at present he owns 
fw^: acres in oranges in full bearing in the Ontario district. He also 
owns a ranch of 160 acres in the Imperial Valley near Brawley, which 
is undci- a liigh state of culti\-ation. He came to Pomona a perfect 
stranger, and by hard, self-making \\ork, he has "made good." 

At Farmer City, 111., in March, 1897, Mr. Metz married Miss 
Nellie Watson of Farmer City, 111., a tlaughter of William Watson, a 
pioneer of that country. She is a cultured woman, and a member of 
the ]\bell Cluli of Pomona, and the mother of four sons. Herbert W. 
ser\ed loin" years in the United States Navy and became a first-class 
boatswain on the United States steamship "Frederick," on patrol duty 
in South American waters, and later on the United States transport 
"Koningin," he matie fourteen trips to b ranee during the war. The 
second in order of bii'th, Harry 1". Metz, also ser\'ed in the navy on 
the same boat with his brother during the World War. A third son 
is Carl !•'., and the youngest is Stewart W. Metz. A prominent Mason, 
Mr. Metz is a member of the lodge, chapter, council and commandery 
in I\)m()na, a Shriner, and is also a Knight of Pythias. 



IIISTOKV AND ^.l()(■,K.\|■il^■ /''l 

lll'.KBl.Kr S. CILMAN 
\ direct.. I- of one ol" the most important public utilities, who has 
been Fortunate in brin^in^' to the service of the concern he has m 
charKC a lirst-class scientilic and technical trainm^r. ,s Herbert h. Oil- 
man, the manager of the San Dimas Water Company and the San 
Dimas-Charter Oak Domestic Water Company, who was^ born at 
Rochester. Minn., on September 17. 188.^. His lather was Nathaniel 
F. Cilman. a native of Derby Line, Vt., who came to Kacne, \\ is., 
and was a pioneer farmer. I le responded to the call m the Civil \\ ar 
and served in Companv K. 1-ortv-ninth N'okinteer Intantry, and was 
wounded in the Battle .^f I'nrt Cibson, before N-icksburg; after four 
years- service he was honorably discharged. When the C.\ il \\ ar was 
over he removed to Rochester, Minn., and aside from farming he was 
engaged in contracting and building, lie died in 1012. I he mother 
of our subject was Anna Morris, born in Dayton, Ohio, who came with 
her parents to Minnesota in pioneer days. She resides at the old home 
in Rochester, the mother of four bovs and four girls. I lerbert is next 
to the youngest and the only one in California. 1 le not only attended 
the grammar and high schools of Rochester, graduating from the lat- 
ter but for two and a half years was a student at the L niversity of 
Minnesota at Minneapolis, leaving the lecture room only on account 
of a siege of typhoid fever. Then for Wvc years he was foreman and 
construction engineer on water works and sewers with Wilham C. 
Fraser. consulting engineer and contractor in different cities in Wis- 
consin. .XFinnesota and the Dakotas. c r 

In 1908 Mr. Oilman resigned to come to California. Settling at 
San Dimas. he bought a ten-acre orange grove, his present place, and 
went in for citrus growing. Becoming interested in the problem of 
irrigation, he became president of the San Dimas W^ater Company, 
holding that position for three years. After that he was made mana- 
ger of the two San Dimas water companies, since which time he has 
given them his time and best efforts. The companies now deliver both 
irrigation and domestic water to the San Dimas and Charter Oak dis- 
tricts, and no other companies, perhaps, have such a record for gen- 
eral satisfaction. • , ^ t- 

At Pasadena on June .10. 1910, Mr. (iilman married Miss 
Jcannette Cole, also born in Rochester, Minn., whose parents were 
John A. and Mary E. (Van Dusen) Cole, born in Boston, but now 
residing in Pasadena. Grandfather John M. Cole served in a Massa- 
chusetts regiment in the Civil War. Three children have been born 
to Mr. and Mrs. Gilman : Anne. I lerbert S., Jr., and Jean. 

In national politics Mr. Gilman is a Republican, although in local 
issues he never allows partisanship to interfere with the endorsement 
of the best men and the most desirable measures. Fraternally he was 
made a .Mason in San Dimas Lodge No. 42S, F. & A. .M., and is 



;02 TIISTORV AXI) HIOCRAIM ! V 

junior warden; he is also a member of Pomona Lodge, Knights of 
Pythias. He believes in cooperation for the rancher, so is a member 
and director of the San Dimas Orange Growers Association and Is 
active as a director of the San Dimas Fruit Exchange. He is a director 
of the San Dimas Chamber of Commerce, and with his wife helped to 
organize the Union Church at San Dimas, in which he is a trustee, 
while Mrs. Gilman is a member of the Wednesday Afternoon Club and 
the Entre Nous Club. 



CARL W. .MIDDLETOX 

A specialist in a department of high-grade, artistic work, involv- 
ing superior mechanical skill, who has done much to fashion and main- 
tain the art taste of Pomona and to develop a proper appreciation of 
lirst-class technical skill, is Carl W. iVIiddleton, proprietor of the Mid- 
clleton Quality Jewelry Shop at 162 West Second Street, Pomona. 
He was born at L^ica, Mo., on July 1, 1886, there attended the public 
schools, and later learned telegraphy. His parents were Charles W. 
and Margaret (Gillies) Middleton, natives of New York and Scot- 
land respecti\ely ; and he started in life with some advantages. 

After scr\-ing as telegraph operator on the Chicago, Burlington & 
Quincy Railroad, he took up the trade of a watchmaker. He arrived 
In Pomona in 1910, and again engaged in railroading, acting as tele- 
graph operator and ticket agent for the Salt Lake Railroad for five 
years. 

In 1917, i\Ir. Middleton bought out the jewelry store of E. E. 
Mte, and since then he has conducted the establishment under his own 
name. He started with a \ery small capital; but through hard work, 
strictly his own effort, and fair dealing with the public, he has gradual- 
ly built up his trade to its present proportions — a degree of comfort- 
able prosperity In which he naturally takes great pride. When he 
assumed charge of the business referred to, there was no watchmaker 
employed for its patrons, and he immediately started in to make a 
special reputation for that kind of work; today he employs four expert 
repairers. He pays the highest wages to his assistants, and commands, 
therefore, the most expert. 

Mr. Middleton carries a general line of high-grade jeweli-y, which 
includes cut-glass and silverware, diamonds and watches; and he uses 
unique and original ideas in adxertlsing. Once the passers-by^ were 
greeted with the announcement, "We teach watches to tell the truth;" 
and he issued in 1917 and 1918 calendars so unusually attractive that 
they are worthy of special mention. On his 1917 calendar, for exam- 
ple, was a picture of his little daughter, with a watch to her ear; and 
under it were the lines, "Sure, it ticks; daddy makes 'em tick!" while 
on the calendar for 1918 was a picture of the same daughter in colors, 



mSToKV AM) I'.loC.KAl'in' ""-^ 

dressed in the garb of a Red Cross nurse, sitting at the bedside of her 
sick doll, with a watch in her hand, taking the pulse ot her doll. 
These calendars attracted wide attention and once more shoxyed the 
value of brains plus printers' ink. Mr. Middleton is the oftc.al watch 
inspector for the Pacific Electric Radroad in I'omona. 

Mr Middlcton was married on March 27. 1007. at Chdl.cothe, 
Mo to Miss Bessie Conklin, a native of South Dakota, and the 
daughter of F. M. and Maria Conklin. Three children have blessed 
the fortunate union: Carl W.. Jr . I'arl I", and Pauline. 



R.M.PH S. CLARK 
The efficient foreman of the I'.l Camino Citrus Association, at 
Claremont, Cal., Ralph S. Clark was born in Clark County, Ind., 
December 10. 1877. and came to San Diego. Cal.. with his parents a 
lad in his thirteenth year, in 1890. completing his education in the San 
Diego high school. 

As a voung man the life of the range appealed to him, and he 
became a cowbov. riding the range in Imperial County, Cal.. and in 
that least known part of North America. Lower Calitornia, the land 
of desert and drought, but of wonderful possibilities. W hile in Lower 
California he was with John Cantield, and bought 400 head ot cattle 
for six dollars per head, drove them to the range, fattened and sold 
them Later, he rode the range for two years on the Cuyamaca Grant 
of ^^ 000 acres in San Diego Countv. owned by (iovernor \\ aterman, 
and afterwards worked on the Kelly Ranch. During his lite as a cow- 
bov he had manv thrilling and interesting experiences. He came to 
Claremont in 1900 and became box maker for the Claremont Citrus 
Association. In 1911, when the Fl Camino Citrus Association was 
formed, he became foreman of the plant, the position he now holds 
For thirteen vears he was a member of Company D ot the Seventh 
Regiment, California National Ciuard, and rose from a private to the 
rank of first lieutenant. He spent three months at the Presidio at San 
Francisco learning the rudiments of the big defense guns, and during 
the late war was drill master of the Claremont Home Cuards. Out- 
of-door life appeals to him and he spends much ot his spare time in 
the mountains hunting and fishing, being very expert with the rifle 
and reel. 

He married Miss Grace D. Robkcr, a native daughter, reared in 
Pomona, and thev are the parents of two children. Pearl, attending 
Claremont high, and i'dith. In their religious associations the family 
attend the Christian Church at Pomona, and fraternally Mr. Clark 
affiliates with Pomona Lodge No. 789. B. P. ( ). F.lks. and the Knights 
of Pvthias. 



7')4 HISTORY A\l) I'.Kx'.RArilV 

THE DA\ID AND MARGARET HOME FOR CHILDREN 

No more worthy and appealing charity exists than the pro\ision 
for the care of Httle homeless children, who, through no fault of their 
own, have been deprived of the ad\antages of a home with loving 
fathers and mothers to care for them, caused in most instances by the 
death of one or both parents. During the ten years of its existence, 
the David and Margaret Home for Children, at La Verne, has justi- 
fied the most sanguine of hopes in the real good it has accomplished 
in the li\es of the many children who ha\e been cared for during that 
period. 

In 1010. Mr. and Mrs. Henry L. Runs of La Verne presented 
to the Woman's Home Missionary Society of the Southern California 
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church a tract of land con- 
sisting of seventeen and a half acres near La Verne on which was a 
sixtv-room building originally designed for a hotel. The gift was a 
memorial for their deceased son and Mr. Runs' father and motht:, 
Da\id and Margaret, and it was their desire to maintain a wholesome, 
sanitarv Christian home for children where they could receive a train- 
ing that would equip them for a better and more useful future than 
would otherwise be possible for them. At that time the old building 
was unfurnished, ancl the floors, with the exception of a few rooms that 
had been refloored by Mr. Runs, were a menace to health and bare 
feet; the yard and grounds were uncared for, with no place for cows 
or stock of any kind, and no fruit or shade trees. Loving, patient 
work, however, has transformed the whole surroundings, and now 
there is a well-furnished, attractive and comfortable home, warmed 
with hot-air furnaces; a completely equipped concrete laundry build- 
ing; a beautiful lawn, bordered with plants and flowers; a well-cared- 
for garden, which helps supply a goodly portion of the supplies for 
the table; a fine variety of trees, both citrus and deciduous; and a small 
barn and corrals for the horses and cows. 

Ideally located In a fertile \alley, amid orange groves, and com- 
manding a fine view of the Sierra Madre Mountains, the environment 
cannot help but have a beneficent influence on the lives of the little ones 
who are being cared for here. It has always been the ideal of its 
founders to make it a real home instead of an institution, and that this 
has been attained is shown by the lo\e and appreciation the children 
feel, for to many of them it is by far the happiest home they ha\e e\-er 
known. The Home is cared for by a superintendent, assistant superin- 
temlent, fi\-e department matrons, a cook, a laundress and a farmer, 
all of whom are not only well fitted for this work, but wiio are de\oted 
to its service. 

At |)resent the Home is caring for cightv-se\en children, forty- 
three girls and forty-four boys, and many needy cases ha\'e to be 
turned away for lack of room and funds to care for more. The prime 



lllSToKV AM) r.K )C.k \ni\' J'l':- 

object ot the 1 lome is to te;ieli :iiul train tlie cliiKiren to he self-sup- 
porting ami industrial traininjj; is especially eniphasi/eJ. Besides regu- 
lar attenilance at the La \'erne district school, they are taught to share 
in the work ot' the household and garden in every possible way. Prac- 
tical lessons arc given in sweeping, sewing, mending, beil making, etc., 
and much time is also de\oted to religious and moral training, the 
children all attending the Sunday school of the .Methodist I'liiscojial 
Church at I. a \'erne. 

To the devoted superintendent of the Home, .Miss Mora Rice, a 
re\iew ot whose life is gi\en elsewhere in this \olume, is due the larg- 
est meed of praise for the years of lo\ ing, consecrated service s^ie has 
given to its upbuilding. Coming here in 1911, she took charge of the 
institution in its infancy; she was exceptionally equipped through her 
former kindergarten work to bring onler out of chaos, anil with the 
added enthusiasm that comes from ilexotion to a labor of lo\ e. State 
officials whose business it is to \isit and investigate institutions of simi- 
lar kind throughout the state have gi\en her work the warmest com- 
mendation, for through her efficient administration the a\erage cost per 
capita is much lower than that of many others. The boanl of man- 
agers of the institution also ileserve the greatest credit for their years 
of work anil time they ha\c given to raising the fumls to make it pos- 
sible to carry on the noble work, and Mr. Kuns gi\es the credit to the 
ladies of the I lome .Missionary Society and to the management for its 
splendid success, that has exceeded his sanguine expectations. .Mrs. 
Henry L. Kuns passed away in 1915, but Mr. Kuns continues to give 
the work his warmest interest and support: one of his recent donations 
is an additional sixteen acres of land, and on this he expects to erect 
another building. Other substantial bequests have also been made tf) 
be used for atlditional buiklings, thus making it ]5ossiblc to gi\e this 
]o\ing care and training to a larger number of chiKlren. 



ORMAL G. II.ARDY 

It is not often that one so loyal to a town as Ormal CI. Hardv has 
proven himself to be to Pomona, vicinitv and the N'alley. is as well 
rewarded, after years of hard work, in a monopoly of the lield which 
few if any deem it desirable or w<irth while to challenge; for I'omona. 
large and enterprising as it is, boasts of no other establishment like 
or equal to his. lie was born in Monroe County, Iowa, on lebruarv 
22, 1862, and reared in western Iowa, where he attended the usual 
country schools. At an early age he started to work on a farm, ami 
later he farmed for himself on a farm ranch of eighty acres in .Milts 
County, Iowa, where he raised corn, hogs and cattle. 

In 1899 he came to iV)mona. and here he learned the trade of a 
pliiriibtr uitli I IT Wilkinson, who had a plumbing shop on North 



796 HISTORY A.Xl) lU'KlRAPHY 

Main Street. He was with h'mi tor six years, and during that time 
worked in the finest homes in the \'alley. He then started contracting 
tor himself, and opened a plumbing shop in Claremont, which he 
managed with success. Among the many fine homes in that city in 
which he installed superior plumbing, may be mentioned in particular 
the residences of F, P. Brackett, Dr. A. V. Stoughton, J. L. Tomlin- 
son, S. J. Meacie, and A. W. Richards. 

In 1917 Mr. Hardy returned to Pomona, where he has since been 
contracting. In the fall of 1919, he opened up a plumbing shop again 
in Claremont, and there he put his nephew, John Hardy, in charge, 
still retaining, of course, his fully-equipped Pomona establishment. 
Since then he has been rushed with business, so that he employs two 
men steadily. His work being tirst-class and as near to perfection as 
one can make it, he has built up a reputation which is in itself capital. 
None among the many who ha\"e li\-ed and prospered here, and lookeil 
back upon the town with gratitude, has outdistanced Ormal Hardy in 
his loyalty to the town that has been so loval to him. 

In the year 1883, and in the town of Glenwood, Iowa, Mr. Hardv 
was married to Miss Pella Cook, a nati\e of Ohio, who has contributed 
to her husband's adx'ancement; and since marrying he has become an 
Odd Fellow, being now a member of the Pomona lodge, where he is a 
past noble grand and has reached all the chairs of the Encampment. 



JOSEPH SEVERNS DEHNEL 

Among the lines of industry represented in Claremont is that of 
the Union Ice Plant. Joseph Severns Dehnel, the successful manager 
of the Claremont branch of this company, was born in Manstield, 
Ohio, September 11, 1890, and is the son of V. A. and Carolyn 
(Rhodes) Dehnel. His mother is still li\ing, and of her two children 
Joseph Se\erns is the youngest. He came to California with his par- 
ents in 190.3, and completed his education in the grammar and high 
schools of San Diego. During the high school course he spent his sum- 
mer \-acations in the employ of the company he now represents, ha\ing 
been with them for the past twelve years. 

The L nion Ice Company is the oldest of the companies of its kind 
in the state of California, and among the leaders in the cold storage 
and ice business, doing a large business in the precooling and icing of 
cars that carry fruit to the eastern markets. 

I he Claremont plant is among the most important and largest of 
its kind in Southern California and, besides the business in the Vallev, 
they ship ice as far east as the Imperial Valley and north as far as into 
Utah and Nevada for the Pacific F>uit Exchange. They employ 
twelve men the year round in the Claremont branch, and thirty-tive 
men during the busy season. Mr. Dehnel came to the Valley in 191 1, 



HISTORY AM) I'.loC.RAl'lIV 7''/" 

and the woiuicrtul expansion the plant has made in Claremont since 
he has been in charge of it is due mainly to his sagacious juilgment, 
progressi\e iiieas and efficient management. 

Aside from the management of the ice cornpanys business 
tliroughout Pomona \'alley, Mr. Dehnel is interested in the firm of 
Booth & Dehnel, clothiers — the Home of Hart Shaffner & Marks — 
234 West Second Street, l'f)nu)na, the leading clothing establishment 
in the \'alley. 

He chose for a wife Miss Mary 1"^. Sutherland, to whom he was 
united November 9, 1911, and they are the parents of two daughters, 
Carolyn F. anil Marv J. Politically Mr. Dehnel supports the prin- 
ciples of the Republican party, ami in his religious con\ictions is a 
Baptist. 1- raternally, he was made a .Mason in Claremont Lodge, 
No. 436, 1-. & A. M., and is also a member of the B. P. O. KIks. I le 
is secretary and a director of the Claremont Chamber of Commerce 
and doing acti\e work in its behalf. 1 le is an anient lo\ er of golf and 
is a member of Indian Hill Golf Club, which in turn is a member of 
the Southern California Ciolf Club, being chairman of the greens com- 
mittee of the local club. During the years of his residence at Clare- 
mont, all who know him have learned to appreciate the qualities of 
citizenship he displays in his interest in the advancement of Claremont 
and the Pomona \'allev. 



ALFRI'D I. .M((..\NNON 

What good marketing means to any town bidding tor first-place 
consideration as a home center is hantlsomely demonstrated in the 
unique and first-class establishment of Alfred I. McGannon, known 
as the White House, and located at 120 East Second Street, Pomona. 
The consummation of an ideal — to create and maintain and to furnish 
only the best — the market has long since proven one of the first attrac- 
tions to those coming to town, and one of the memories held most dear 
by those going away. 

Mr. McCiannon was born in Johnson County, Kans., on April 2}, 
1873, ami grew up in a farming district, where he attended the country 
schools. He learned meat cutting and the butcher business in Olathc, 
Kans., and he has followed the same line ever since. From Olathe he 
went to Kansas City, and there he worked as a meat cutter. 

Coming to California in 1905, he located in Los Angeles, work- 
ing in the Park market at Fifth and Hill streets: and removing to 
Pomona, he entered the employ of A. C. Gerrard on West Second 
Street. With .Mr. Cierrarii as a partner, he conducteil a meat market 
in Ontario, and from there they went to Santa Ana, where thev carried 
on the same line of business for four years. 

Returning to Pomona, Mr. McGannon became proprietor of the 
ine;)t (knartiiicnr In t'l- White House Market at 12') F'ast Second 



7()8 IIIS'I'OKV A\n l'.i;)C.RAI'in' 

Street; mill there he has fitted up one of" the most sanitary ami most 
modern meat markets in the Pomona \'allcy. He has installed a large 
refrigerator, plate-glass show cases and many other things as practical 
as they are attractixe and appealing to the eye; and it is not surprising 
that he caters only to the best trade — a fact speaking volumes, since 
it is well known that the Pomona housewife is most exacting in the 
insistence on a high standard. This personal, intelligent, considerate 
attention to patrons, coupled with the offering of the best that the sea- 
son affords, in an environment pleasing to the purchaser, has naturally 
proven a great drawing card, and maile the White House the market 
of markets for Pomona. 

In 1898 and at Pomona, Mr. McGannon was married to Miss 
Annie J. Beatty, a native of Nebraska and the daughter of John M. 
Beatty, and one son has blessed the union, Howard F. McGannon. 
The familv attend the First Methodist Church. 



JOSEPH C. CLARKE 

The office manager and salesnum of the Opera Garage, at Po- 
mona, Cal., Joseph C. Clarke is a native of London, England, and was 
born April 7, 1885. He received a public school education and from 
the age of thirteen to seventeen followed the trade of brush finisher 
and maker in a brush factory at Whieldstone, Englanil. 

Li 1902, at the age of seventeen, he sought a witler field for his 
talents and came to the United States. He became a student in the 
high school at Lysander, N. Y., and spent four years in that state, 
following the occupation of farming In the summer months. Li the 
spring of 1906 he journeyed westward to the Pacific Slope and accepted 
a position with the Sugar Beet Factory at Chino, as assistant store- 
keeper. He retained the position three years, leaving it in 1907 tem- 
porarily to take a business course at Woodbury's Business College at 
Los Angeles. In 1910 he came to Pomona and became cashier for the 
Pomona Implement Company, remaining in the position a year and a 
half. He then entered the employ of L. W. Matthews in the pump 
antl auto business, and when the Ranchers Manufacturing Company 
bought out the pump department he entered the employ of the Ranch- 
ers Manufacturing Company as salesman. He retainecl the position 
until the fall of 1911, when he became business manager for Osier and 
Matthews. He went east in 1915 and spent a year, and returned to 
California as credit man for the Osier-Racine Rubber Company. He 
spent thirteen months in Los Angeles, and in the spring of 1917 
entered the employ of Lee R. Matthews in the Opera Garage at 
Pomona, as office manager and salesman, the position he now occupies. 
He is the owner of a fine ten-acre waliuit ranch in the Ontario district, 
south of Xarod. This place was formerly a peach orchard. After 
Mr. Clarke [lurchased it he planted It to walnuts, which will soon 



HISTORY AND lUnC.RAIM n r"* 

come into bcarinj;. The p>lace is highly developed and is a valuable 
piece of propertv. 

His marr' d him with Miss Maude I'. Coles of New York 

state, and thev , parents <if a daughter named Marjorie. In his 

religious convictions Mr. Clarke is a member of the First Methodist 
Church, and fraternally he affiliates with the Pomona I ' r' I. (). 

O. F. He is highly esteemed among a large circle ot ror his 

many estimable qualities. 



GEORGK W. MILLKK 

A most valuable man for Pomona and Pomona \ alley, because 
he is unquestionably a thoroughly up-to-date expert In his line and. 
therefore, one sure to advance, from time to time, the science of his 
held, is George \V. Miller, foreman of the mechanical department of 
the Pacific Electric Railroad at Pomona. He was born at Denver on 
April 7. 1S82. the son of George \V. NFiller, a native of New York 
state, who married Christine Kennedy, a native of Glasgow, Scotland; 
and while still a child, he was taken to Yakima, Wash., where he ob- 
tained his tirst book instruction in the public schools. 

When eighteen years of age. he located at Fresno and there 
entered the employ of the Fresno Citv- Railroad Company, in whose 
ser\ice he held the positions of motorman. conductor and finally fore- 
man of the car barn. ' ' ' ' ' ' \ lines. 
During this time, he pii repair 

work, etc., in railroading ottered bv the famous International Corre- 
- ' ■ - ' ' ' 'at 

sil- 
road. to work in their repair department. He remained with that 
company v " all of 1909. when he ro- ' ' he 

engaged in . :- j; machinery in the vari'. ^ .. ... . 

In the sprinc of 1911, Mr. Miller came to Los Angeles and ac- 
cepted a tl ' • post w ' ' ' "c Electric F ' in the car 

repairing J-, .. . ,,:it. In: .j same year ... ... transferred 

to Riverside, as foreman of the mechanical department, and in 1912 
he was sent to San Bernardino in the •; city. In the spring of 

1914. he came to his present position ir. . .la. 

Since his advent into this progressive and attractive cit>", and his 
display of ability n ience so valuable to the company which he 
represents, Mr. M ;. , ? , „, ...H^r of offers to change his loca- 
tion and take up v\ e loves Pomona, is loval to the 
town to the extent of being one of its best "boosters." and he still 
stands by the ship in wh' '' '' - '^as already sailed manv pleasant waters. 
Fraternally, he is a W "f the World: but he had no need to 
join that or any other org:- to insure his popularity, for every- 
body who k - ' ieorge Muci ^ glad to call him friend. 



800 HISTORY A\I) r.H )(".I^\1'IIV 

HARVEY M. IIAN.WVALT 

There are few more inspiring; cxaiiiples of self-won success in the 
history of Pomona Valley than.tiiat furnished by the career of Harvey 
M. Hanawalt, the successful cement and concrete contractor, and one 
of the city trustees of La \'erne. He was born on a farm near Johns- 
town, Pa., September 30, 1879, and was reared there, where he fol- 
lowed farming until he came to La Verne, Cal., in September, 1902. 
His father, George Hanawalt, born in Juniata County, Pa., was a 
minister of the Church of the Brethren and would ride over the moun- 
tains to his different charges, preaching gratis and farming for a living. 
While engaged in farming near Johnstown, Pa., he married Lucinda 
Stietzman. They came to La Verne in 1902, where he resided until his 
death in 1913; his widow survi\-es him and resides at Burbank. 

Har\ey M. Hanawalt spent his early years on a farm and re- 
ceived a good education in the public schools. After his arri\-al at La 
Verne he attendetl Lordsburg (now La \'erne) College for a time, 
pa\ing his own way, and then engaged in the cement contracting and 
building business in La Verne. He began on a small scale, with a 
cement block machine, and though he was discouraged by others he 
perse\-ered, and after securing his first contract he found himself on 
the road to success and since that time he has never been without a job. 
Mr. Hanawalt made a specialty of building cement reservoirs, in which 
work he was very successful, and it is to these splendid reservoirs, con- 
structed by him, that much of the credit is due in the development and 
increasing of the water supply of Pomona Valley. Mr. Hanawalt has 
built reservoirs at San Dimas, Glendora and Claremont. In addition 
to this work he has built miles of cement sitlcwalks and curbs in La 
Verne; constructed the Sixth Street roadway in Claremont; built the 
concrete bank building at Puente, and constructed practically all of the 
cement foundations for the fine homes built In recent years at La Verne. 

Mr. Hanawalt has built for himself nine fireproof buildings In 
La Verne, all of which he sold except the old State Bank building, the 
Postoffice block and the Motor Lin Garage. To the list of buildings con- 
structed by Mr. Hanawalt must also be added the beautiful new ladies' 
dormitory of La Verne College. He is now building the second million 
and a half gallon reservoir for the Albert M. Stephens Company and 
Is also paving Philadelphia Avenue in Pomona. He employs from 
fifteen to twenty men on reservoir construction, in which work he has 
made an enviable reputation. Besides this class of cement work he has 
engaged in the making of artificial stone and has thereby added much 
to the beauty of many of the fine homes in La Verne. There is scarce- 
ly a street in La Verne that has not been improved or beautified by his 
labors. Li the fall of 1919 he formed a partnership with his brother, 
Samuel L. Hanawalt, in the contracting business. 



HISTORY AXn lUoCRAl'llV .^H 

Mr. I lanawalt is highly esteemed by the citizens of La \erne and 
his election to the office of trustee was no surprise to his many friends, 
as it was a recognition of his sterling qualities as a progressive citizen. 
In the board of trustees he is chairman of the street and road com- 
mittee. 

On September 29. at La \erne. Mr. Hanawalt was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Annie C. Nelson, a native of Indiana, who came to 
La N'erne with her parents when she was six years of age. Her father. 
Clinton D. Nelson, of l^nglish and Irish descent, was born in Warren 
County. Ohio. He was one of the early settlers of La \erne, a well 
known contractor and builder who erected many houses there. Mrs. 
Nelson was Mary Kleine. born in Indiana, of an old \'irginia family. 
While manager of the San Dimas Orange Lxchange. Mr. Nelson in- 
stalled the first telephone in his home at La Verne. He and his wife 
now reside at Long Beach. Mrs. Hanawalt is a graduate of the^icad- 
emic and commercial departments of La \'erne College. Mr. and Mrs. 
Hanawalt are the parents of three children: Robert. Catherine and 
Nelson Ward. 



SAMLl-.L M. FULTON 

Whether Samuel M. Fulton, of Pomona, founder and secretary 
of the Pomona Manufacturing Company, is a descendant of the dis- 
tinguished Robert Fulton, who made the first practical application of 
steam to navigation, or not. the fact is undisputed that his invention of 
deep-well pumps is a valuable acquisition to the mechanical world and 
to all who employ the invention in pumping water from deep wells. 

.Mr. Fulton is a native of Dane County, Wis., and received his 
education in the public schools and business college at Madison, Wis. 
He was among the settlers of the "70s in California, and in May, 1S77, 
located at Sacramento. Cal., where he became a teacher in the Sacra- 
mento Business College, retaining the position until 188 1. I- rom 
Sacramento he went to Gait. Sacramento County, where he was em- 
ployed as a bookkeeper for three years. In 1 884 he formed a partner- 
ship with A. T. Ames, at Gait, and opened a machine shop. It was 
while in this business that he invented the Fulton pump, which is now 
in use all over the country for deep wells in irrigation systems. Mr. 
Fulton closed his business interests at Gait, and December 1. 100], 
came to Pomona. 

In 1902 he helped organize the Pomona Manufacturing Com- 
pany, the first and only plant of its kind in Pomona \'alley. An 
old hay barn on Hast Bertie Street, near Parcelle, was its humble be- 
ginning. Later, more land was purchased and a modern factory erect- 
ed. It is now the largest plant in the world dc\otcd to the manufac- 
ture of deep-well pumps. Ihe I nitcd Iron Works of Kansas City. 



802 HISTORY AXD lITOCRArilY 

Mo., arc the company's eastern agents. In atlditioii to the manufacture 
of the Fulton deep-well pump the company also manufacture valves 
and pipes for irrigation purposes, and installs them in orchards and on 
alfalfa ranches. Three-fourths of the pumps used in Pomona Valley 
are supplied by this company, and Pomona is justly proud of this large 
and important industry. Mr. Fulton owns a finely improved six-acre 
ranch located just west of Ganesha Park and called Los Solana Rancho. 
This property was unimproved when he purchased it, and is planted 
to lemons, oranges and avocados. 

Mr. Indton's marriage united him with Miss Fannie L. Chase, a 
native of New York state. In his religious associations he is a member 
of the Congregational Church at Pomona, and fraternally affiliates 
with the Knights of Pythias. 



THOMAS E. GORE 

A citrus grower who was some time in finding the field of opera- 
tion for which he was best fitted, but who finally came to his present 
activity equipped with an enviable experience, is Thomas E. Gore, who 
was born on a farm in Mason County, 111., on November 26, 1849, the 
son of Edwin Gore, born in Maryland, a farmer of wide repute in 
Illinois. He married Miss Jane Thompson, a native of Ireland, the 
daughter of Alexander M. and J^nc Thompson, by whom he had nine 
children, among whom Thomas is the fourth in the order of birth. 

Having been given the advantages of the rural schools and 
Jacksonville High and Lincoln LTnlversity, Mr. Gore went in for teleg- 
raphy, and for six years was with the Western L'nion in Chicago and 
St. Louis. Then he entered the employ of the construction department 
of the Santa Fe in New Mexico, after which he returned to Illinois. 

While in Menard County, that state, Mr. Gore was married to 
Phoebe Ann Pratt, a native of Mason County, and the daughter of 
George and Sarah Pratt, following which he took up farming in John- 
son County, Nebr., and continued in that line and locality for four 
years. 

Returning to railroad work, he came to San Dimas, Cal., in 1887 
and opened the railway station for Santa Fe. He liked the neighbor- 
hood so well that he remained five and a half years as the company's 
representative, and in the meantime he bought and improved his ranch. 
When the Southern Pacific came through and opened a station, he was 
their first agent and continued for twelve years. Switching oft again, 
he retired to his ranch and made a success doubly sure of citrus grow- 
ing. His ranch is located one mile southwest of San Dimas and em- 
braces twel\e acres of oranges and lemons. He is a member of both 
orange and lemon associations. All these years he has resided with his 
tamilv in San Dimas. 



I1IST< )KV AND r.lt )C.k \riiv J^o.? 

I-our children ami six ^raiuldiiklrcn iia\c ^ri\cn joy to Mr. and 
Mrs. Gore. .Martha has become .Mrs. J. \V. I lou^h of Clarcrnnnt; 
David is with his father; John 1"'.. is an educator and is principal ot the 
high school at Orland; and Grace is at home. Tlie family attend tiie 
Methodist I^piscopai Church in San Dimas. In national politics .Mr. 
Gore is a Republican, while his interest in civic aii\ ancemeiit is ilis- 
plaved through his activity in school board work. 



BFRTR.XM W. GIBSON 

Among the enterprising business men of Pomona, the possibilities 
of which city have called forth the most creilitable ambitions of men 
who arc destined to make their way in the commercial world, Bertram 
W. Gibson has met with a success which speaks well for his far-sighted 
business acumen ami conservative judgment. A Canadian by birth, he 
was born in Toronto, Ontario, May 18, 18S8. (Jn linishing the public 
schools he took a high school course and also a first and second gratle 
collegiate course in ioronto. On linishing his education his iirst busi- 
ness experience was in the freight office of the Grand Trunk Railway 
at Toronto, where he served as clerk for live years. lie next engaged 
in the men's furnishing business with his brother-in-law. 

In the fall of 1915 .Mr. Gibson located in Pomona, where his 
sister had preceded him by a few years, and here he learned the trade 
of vulcanizer with Leslie I'lliott and was in his employ until he enlisted 
in the W'orkl War. linding that he was very low on the list to be 
called on ciinscription ami fearing that he might not be called, he 
enlisted October 21, 1917, in the Canadian Royal Flying Squadron 
and was appointei.1 corporal am.! stationed a great part of the time in 
training camps near Toronto; he later was tletailed to drill ami in- 
struct raw recruits in infantry drill, having squads of seventy-live men 
under him, and thus he served his country, doing the unexciting tasks 
set for him at home and linding his efforts to be transferred to overseas 
service of no avail, he did his duty as called upon until his discharge 
from service, January 16, 1919. 

On his return to Pomona, in January, 1919, .Mr. Gibson deciiled 
to go into business lor himself, and on the twentieth of that same 
month he opened his vulcanizing shop antl auto accessories supplies at 
Third and Thomas streets, and in the Iirst ten months he doubled his 
business, a rapid advance even tor these rapid times. I le is ilistrict 
agent for the Racine tires, his territory embracing the Pomona \'alley, 
and also carries a full line of Goodrich tires atui of automobile ac- 
cessories. 

Mr. Gibson takes an active part in both the business and social 
life of the community, ant! in fraternal circles he is a member of the 
Masons, both in Toronto and in Pomona, belonging to the chapter 



804 HISTORY AND I'.lnCRAIM n' 

and council (it that order; he is a member of the Knights of Pythias 
of Pomona, of the Yeomen of that city, ami in business circles he is a 
member of the merchants" branch of the Pomona Chamber of Com- 
merce. 



WILLIAM WRIGHT HAMILTON 

The foreman of the packing plant of the Kxchange Orange 
Products Company, at San Dimas, Cal., William Wright Hamilton, 
although but twenty-three years of age, has a thorough knowledge 
of the fruit-packing industry, and is well fitted for the important 
position he occupies. He was born at Galesburg, 111., Jiily 5, 1896, 
and received his preliminary education in the public schools. He was 
but sixteen when he came to L pland, San Bernardino County, Cal., 
in 1912, and was a student at the Chaffey L'nlon high school. After 
gratluatlon from the high school, he took a two years' pre-legal course 
at the Uni\ersity of Southern California, and upon returning to L^p- 
lanil, entered the employ of the Mountain \ lew I' ruit Association In 
the shipping department. He accepted the position of foreman of 
the Kxchange Orange Products Company at San Dimas, August, 1919, 
a position he held until October 15, 1919, when he was transferreil to 
the Anaheim plant, where he has charge of the cost department and 
now makes his home In Anaheim. 

In the past It has been a problem for orange growers aiul ship- 
pers as to the disposition of high-grade cull oranges, — fruit that has 
developed "ptiffy skin" because of ripening too rapidly through being 
forced by unseasonable hot weather and other causes, and which would 
not stand the long journey to the Kastern market, as v^-ell as fruit that 
has been damaged by being bruised in the orchard, either during cul- 
ti\-ation, or, as sometimes happens even in sunny California, by hail. 
\\'hile such oranges will oftentimes heal o\er the bruise to the skin, 
they will not stand up for long shipments, although In other ways they 
are hlgh-gratie fruit. This problem has been soU^ed by the manu- 
facture of marmalade from high-grade cull oranges. The process for 
making marmalade was purchased of Thomas Crawford, of Anaheim, 
by the California Fruit Growers Exchange, and the great selling 
organization that handles seventy per cent, of the citrus fruit of the 
state, originator of the "Sunkist" brand, has been making an unqual- 
ified success of the marmalade business. The Exchange Orange Prod- 
ucts Company is operated in conjunction with the San Ulmas Mar- 
malade I'actory, which is engaged in making orange marmalade from 
culls. Practically all of the associations that sell fruit to the California 
Fruit (irowers Exchange are now selling culls to the Orange Products 
Company to be made into marmalade. As foreman of the plant, Mr. 
Hamilton met with as great a success as he made In athletics, in which 



lllS'n )R^■ AM) I'.K )C.K Aim' 805 

he took an acti\c part wlillc in collcm--. In 1917, he held the reeoiil 
for Southern Calihirnia in hop, skip ami jmnji, inakin^r a reconl ot 
fortv-two feet and eight and a half inches. lie was a meinher of the 
'N'arsitv foot hall team, and was elected a meniher ot the "All Stars 
Foot Ball Team of California." Iraternaliy he holds memhership in 
Upland Loiige No. 419, F. & A. \l. Gifted with youth, enerfi;etic 
in disposition ami amhitious. he is quick to see and take acKantafje f)f 
the door of opportunity when open, and his future is a promising one, 
for in twentieth century phraseology of the oM adage, "F\ervthing 
comes to hini who works as he waits." 



CHKISTOPHFR H. (lARRISON 

The distinction of being next to the oldest contracting painter and 
decorator, in point of continuous service, in the Pomona \'alley belongs 
to Christopher H. Garrison, and would speak volumes for itsell were 
it not known that the long years in which he has added steadily to a 
valuable experience have developed talent of no small order. Second 
onlv to S. S. Becks of Pomona, in pioneer service here, Mr. (iarrison 
started here in 1891. He is known by his friends as Senator Garrison; 
and as he boasts of many admirers and standbys, his popularity is as 
wide as it is agreeable. 

He was born at Paterson, Passaic County, N. J., on January 7, 
1853, and after completing his etlucation, took up the painter's trade 
with his father, Robt. B. Garrison, who was one f)f Paterson's leading 
contractors. In 1883, he removed to San Antonio, Texas, where he 
was soon doing excellent work and a large business as a contractf)r. 
but in 1891 he decided to come to California. Settling in Pomona, 
he continued his contract work; and among the manv buildings he 
decorated are the Hooper Block, the American National Bank build- 
ing, and numerous fine residences. 

In 1911 Mr. Garrison located at Claremont, where he decorated 
the First National Bank block, the San Antonio block, the packing 
house of the El Camino Citrus Association, the Congregational Church, 
a number of the buildings of Pomona College, and the residences of 
Mrs. McKinney, P. J. Smith, and Mrs. Healy. He maintains a paint 
store, where he carries a full line of paints and oils, setting up and con- 
tinuing a standard in the quality of his stock as well as of his work. 
This pioneer relation of Mr. Garrison to the field in which he so splen- 
didly excels is as interesting as the status of pioneers generally. 

Mr. Garrison's mother was Ann F.liza \'an I'elt before her mar- 
riage, and she came from old Knickerbocker stock, the ilaughter of 
Christopher \'an Pelt, a machinist and pattern maker. About thirtv 
years ago he joineil the Knights of Pythias, and he is now a member 
of th;it organization in Pomona, ha\ing passed through all the 'chairs 



806 HISTORY AXH lUnr.K AI'HV 

and atteiuictl the Cirand Lodge. In Patcrson, Mr. Garrison married 
Cjracc 1 1. Hackett, of whom he was bereaved in 1898, Iea\ ing one son, 
Robert B. Cjarrison, of San Francisco. 



JOHN C. STORMENT 

Famed as a model home town, in which all that makes 'for the 
security and happiness of human life is conscientiously antl generously 
attended to, Pomona owes much ol its attraction and repute to such 
substantial, broad-minded and far-seeing men as John C. Storment, 
liistrict manager of the Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company, wiio 
establish and maintain those institutions utterly indispensable to human 
progress. His office is at 365 South Thomas Street, and from there 
he directs the extensive operations of his company in a held where 
something more than "making money" is the goal, and yet a iield so 
im[M)rtant to society that money, and plenty of it, has been the worker's 
proper reward. 

Mr. Storment was born in Marion County, 111., the son of S. A. 
and Harriet Storment, and one of a family of tweh^e children, and 
there attended the public schools, finishing his studies at Ewing Col- 
lege, at lowing in Jefferson County, 111. For nine years he taught 
school in Southern Illinois, and in 1890 was graduated from the nor- 
mal school of the University of Souther]: Illinois at Carbondale. 
Then he was principal of the high school at Metropolis for one year; 
and in 1891 he came to California and taught for a year at Azusa. 

Remo\ing to Pomona, Mr. Storment taught three years at Lords- 
burg, ami for three years was principal of the Sixth Street school, at 
Pomona; principal of the La Verne school one year, and also of the 
San Dimas school four years. In all, he taught school ten years in 
Illinois and twelve years in the Pomona Valley, so that he well de- 
serves honorable mention in tile history of popular education in these 
two great states. 

In 190.^, Mr. Storment entered the life insurance field, and for 
a year A\as sub-agent, and for three years district manager of the 
CitiHis \'alley agency of the Aetna Life Insurance Company. Then 
for ten years, he engaged in the real-estate business at Pomona, during 
which titiie he made many notable sales. In whatever field he \'en- 
tLM'eil, his natural ability, together with his willingness and disposition 
for hard work, brought him unqualified success. 

Two years ago, Mr. Storment accepted a flattering otter from 
the i^icitic Mutual Life Insurance Company as special agent, ami in 
1919 he was matle tlistrict manager. His first year he wrote .$I5U,U00 
worth of business, and this entitled him to membership in the Big 
Tree Club. 

This renowned organization is composed of agents of all the life 
insurance companies of the Uniteil States and Canada, who lia\e writ- 



HISTORY AXi) i;i( )C,K.\i'in sur 

ten $15(1,0(10 worth of business or over yearly, anJ tills iiienibershlp 
entitles them to a free trip to the annual conxention helil each year, 
with all expenses paid. 1 he last convention was held at I'ittshur^h 
on September 25 to 27, 1919. and this he ha^l the honor ol atteiulitiff 
and participating^ in. I le will also he a member ol tiie IJi'^ I ree 
Club of 1920. 

.Mr. Storinent is also a member of the .Monday .M<irninir Club. 
The ajj;ents <jf the Pacific .Mutual Life Insurance Company meet e\ery 
.Monday morninj^ at the home office in I.os .Angeles lor mutual iKneiit, 
and at such times addresses are delivered and opportunities given tor 
familiar talks. The I'acitic .Mutual Home Office agency is called the 
Million Dollar Agency, as thev write a million dollars of insurance 
monthly; and its members are freijuently gi\en banquets by the com- 
pany. Well may .Mr. .Storment be congratulated on his association 
with these wide-awake ami representative organizations. 

Another ground for congratulating .Mr. Storment is the recent 
\ictor\' of the I'rohibition party, to which he has belonged lor many 
years, and whose tickets he has long \()ted. 1 lis allegiance to that 
party led him to help put the last saloon in I'omona out of business. 
For twenty years he was a member of the .Methodist Church of Po- 
mona, and now he belongs to the Frinity .Methodist Church and is 
active in Sunday School work. He is equally a valuable worker in 
the Y. M. C. A. ticld. 

.\t Rockwood, III., on June 4, 1.S91. .Mr. Storment was married 
to .Miss .Mattie Jeffrey, a native of Illinois and the liaughter of \V. M. 
and I']li/.abeth Jeffrey, and four chiKlren have blesscti their fortunate 
union: Bertha studied at Pomona and Occidental Colleges and is now 
Mrs. Howard S. Norwood of Pasadena: Frank L., pianist of the 
Occidental College glee club and manager of the college paper, worked 
his way through Occidental College and is now a stuilent at the L ni- 
\ersity of California; Arthur M. is at present studying at Occidental: 
ami Robert is a student at the Pomona high school. 



riAL .MAY 

.■\ rising young man of Pomona whose executive ability has been 
amply demonstrated in the management of the Pen-Hill Confectionery 
Store at 294 West Second Street, famous not only for the high quality 
of its products, but for the volume of trade done in one of the best 
appointed shops in the state, is Hal May, who was born in Ballard 
County, Ky., where he grew up in a farming ilistrict. \\ hen only six- 
teen, he left the farm on which he had obtained his start in life, and 
located at Blamlville, where he attended the public scho(jls; and later he 
studied at Owensboro College at Owcnsboro, K\. 

Having hnishcd his studies, he pushed west to California; and in 
1907 he settled at Clarcmont, then a far more modest town than today. 



,v'OS HISTORY AXl) I'.K )C,R AI'IIN' 

Sodii afterward, he entered the employ ol James Anderson, the con- 
t'eetioner, antl during three and a half years in his store, he gained a 
thorough knowledge of the confectionery trade. Coming to Pomona 
in 1912, he entered into partnership with J- P- Kdmonds, to conduct 
the Pen-Hill Confectionery Company; and in the summer of 1918 he 
bought out his partner and since then has been sole owner of the 
business. 

The Pen-Hill Confectionery Store at 294 West Second Street is 
one of the pioneer institutions of the kind in Pomona, and does the 
largest business in that line in the city. The fittings of the store are 
unusually modern and up-to-date, the mezzanine floor in particular 
proving very popular with the younger set; and there each Saturday 
evening, to the sweet strains of an orchestra, society gathers to par- 
take of the daintiest and purest of ice creams, confectionery and sodas, 
for which the establishment is famous. 

At San Bernardino on August 14, 191,3, Mr. May was married 
to Miss Ruby Witter, of Indiana, the daughter of J- R- and Mabel 
Witter. His good wife has partaken of his enthusiastic work in boost- 
ing Pomona and environs, a worthy work that he ne\er fails to push 
forward as both a live member of the Chamber of Commerce and the 
Merchants Association. Pomona is glad to number among its enter- 
prising business men such an aggressi\-e factor as Mr. May; and Hal 
is more than ever satisfied that he pitched his tent here. 



FRANK H. HARWOOD 

Missouri has frequently been heard Iroiii along the Pacific, and 
in no instance in recent Pomona \'alley history more creditably than 
in the case of Frank H. Harwood, the thoroughly capable president 
of the Lemon Growers Association. lie was born at Springfield, in 
the Iron State, on December 1.1, 1875, the son of Alfred P. Harwood, 
a Alissouri stockman, who married Miss Margaret Burton. The fam- 
ily came to California in the e\-entful late eighties, when so many 
thousands of l''asterners first came to know-about the wonderful ad\an- 
tages of this state, and from the beginning located at Upland. Soon 
after Alfred Harwood embarked in the citrus industry and has been 
in it e\er since. He is stili living, the father of four girls and two 
boys, three of whom have survived. 

I'rank Harwood was educated at the public schools of Upland, 
continuing his studies at the college at Ontario, and was graduated 
from Pomona College with the Class of '98, when he received the 
degree of B.S. Leaving college, he also went into the citrus industry, 
and soon became the first manager of the Lemon Growers Associa- 
tion at San Dimas. In that position of responsibility he continued for 
fifteen years, and then he \^'as made presitlcnt — a real honor, when it 



iiisn )i<\ AX I) I'.K i(",k \riiv so) 

is rciiu'tiibcrcd that this is the largest lemon growers" association in 
the N'allcy. 

Naturally tor one so well posteil on the \ arious ami hest niethiuls 
tor citrus culture, Mr. I larwooil has also enj^aj^ed in ^rowinji lor 
himselt of late years. lie makes a specialty ot yrape truit. tor which 
there is an increasing; ileniand, particularly hy the railway comjianies, 
ami some of the choicest of this ilainty eJihle shippctl from the X'alley 
is raised upon his well-kept ranch. 

J'he marriage of Mr. Ilarwood to .Miss .MiKlred Spencer took 
place at Los Angeles on March 29, 1905, and three children ha\e 
blessed the happy union: Klizabeth, Jane and Alfred. A Republican 
in national politics, although non-partisan in local affairs, .Mr. Ilar- 
wood belongs to both the Masons and the Illks. 



L. i:. siii:i:'rs 

Pomona has always been a city where opportunit\' lor irnestment 
of capital has yielded good returns, and this has pnnen true ot the 
city's leading music house, the I,. I'.. Sheets Piano Company. L. H. 
Sheets has been established in the piano business at Pomona since 19(17, 
and his place of business is at 285 North Ciarey Avenue. 

He is a natiye of Geneya, III., born October 3, 1S6.^. and was 
reared in Bata\ia. that state. He received a gotnl public school edu- 
cation, graduated from the Bata\ia high school, antl at the age of 
twenty, in 188.^, went to Dakota Territory, where he taught school 
for a while, and was also in the hardware business at l.smond until 
1888. In 1890 he came to Pomona, where he was employed by one 
of the pioneer piano dealers of that place, R. S. Hassett, as traveling 
salesman for his piano house. He afterwards returned to South 
Dakota ami engaged in the music business lor three years, going 
thence to Marion, Iowa, where he continued the occupation tor thir- 
teen years. The allurements of California finally brought him again 
to the Coast to settle permanently at Pomona, in 1907, where he has 
been continuously engaged in dealing in pianos e\er since. His witie 
experience, thorf)ugh knowledge of the business ami gooti judgment 
ha\e all been important factors in the success he has achie\eii. I lis 
line of pianos consists of the Knabe Ampico grands anil uprights, the 
Mehiin grands and uprights, which, by the way, are the most costly 
pianos to produce in the world: the Haines Brothers and other 
nationally advertised pianos, such as have never been carried by any 
music house before, outside the large cities. He has a special piano 
made for him, callcil the L. I'.. Sheets piano. In aildition he is Po- 
mona \'alley agent for the New Columbia phonograph and records, 
and also iif)es piano tuning. In 1910 he planted twenty acres ot land 
to f)ranges. one mile southeast ot Claremont, and afterward sold a 



810 III STORY AXD r,l(")GRArilV 

portion, rctainiiiji ten acres of the ^rove. He has t\venty-ti\e sheep 
on the phtcc, and conceived tlie original idea of fertilizing the grove 
with sheep manure, an experiment which has proved very successful. 
Three acres of Valencia orange trees, fertilized in this way, yielded 
$1,000 worth of fruit per acre in 1919. He is the pioneer in this 
method of fertilizing. He owns an eight-acre alfalfa ranch in the 
Chino district on which he raises alfalfa to feed his sheep. 

He established domestic ties by his marriage with Miss Charlena 
Woodbury, of Wisconsin, and three children are the result of their 
union. Inez is the wife of H. J. Ryan, horticultural commissioner of 
Los Angeles County. Helen is a gratluate of Pomona College, and 
Robert is in high school. Fraternally he affiliates with the Pomona 
Lodge of F. & A. M., of which he is past master. 



MORGAN P. SILVA 

An enterprising agent, thoroughly posted as tt) his held of work, 
its past history and its possibilities, who has done much to safeguard 
the motorist and to promote the recreative sport of motoring, is Mor- 
gan P. Silva, proprietor of No. 242 of the Tire Service Company, 
located on Second at Gordon, Pomona, and distributor for Pomona 
Valley of the famous Firestone tires. Fie was born in' Chicago, 111., 
on April 23, 1882, a son of Frank P. and Cornelia (Birgle) Silva. 
He attended the public schools and a business college of Chicago. 
After a while he entered the Continental National Bank of Chicago 
as a messenger bov, and while working himself up, gained a thorough 
knowledge of banking. 

In 1905 he came west to California, antl In Los Angeles joined 
the staff of the Farmers & Merchants Bank, where he became assis- 
tant exchange teller, in charge of foreign exchange. In 1909, he 
located at San Francisco and tra\-eled on the road tor A. Schilling & 
Co., the famous tea, coffee and spice merchants. Six years later, he 
helped organize the People's Baking Company, of San Francisco, in 
which he is still a stockholder; it built up a large and profitable busi- 
ness by selling bread direct at the homes of the patrons, for ten cents 
a loaf, Mr. Siha acting as sales manager; all the employees were 
dresseil in white, c\-en to white sanitary gloves, and now the company 
is one of the leading baking concerns of San Francisco. 

After two years of hard work, he deciiled to go into business for 
himsell, and in September, 1916, he settled in Pomona as general 
agent and local distributor for Pomona Valley of Firestone tires, and 
in the past three years he has built up a \'ery thriving business, his 
pre\ious experience as purchasing agent for the People's Baking Com- 
pany making him familiar with this line of business. He started in a 
small store in the State Bank Building in West Second Street, and 



IIIST( )kV AM) I'.M iC.U \l'in' Xll 

when his traiic j^rcw too larj^c to be haiullcil there, he mi)\eil t<i his 
present coniniodious store at Second and Ciordon streets. A new 
moiiern tront has recently been put in, making it one of the most 
attracti\e stores on the street. The odii name i^iven by him to his 
estabhshment. No. 242 lire Service Company, is tlerixetl I rom his 
telephone call. 

I le comlucts an up-to-date \ ulcanl/injj; plant, and iloes the largest 
jobbinjf business in his line in the X'alley, for he has the only tire press 
in I'omona. This is an hydraulic machine of 20n-tons pressure, and 
is used in pressinjj; steel rims on metal tires such as are used on motor 
truck wheels. He carries, of course, a lar^e stock of lirestone tires 
of all sizes, both for autos and motor trucks. I le has built up his line 
business on the motto that "Service Must be Satisfactory." ami since 
the lirestone Company ha\e ^i\en him lull authority to settle all 
claims without referring the same to the ho!iie otlice, it is comparativ ely 
easy for him to maintain his high stamlard and to kL-ej) his wide 
patronage. 

Peculiar satisfaction is cnjoyeil by Mr. SiKa in representing the 
now internationally-famous tires; for the lirestone lire & Rubber 
Company arc educating the people to senil their goods by tire-e{]uipiied 
convcvances, antl thev have established a "Ship by Truck" bureau in 
every large city. In the summer of 1919, they helil a truck parade 
in Los Angeles, headed by a band of tiftv pieces, ami they also publish 
a magazine tlesotcil to the attainment of the same end. 

At Pasadena, Cal., on November 6, 1906, Mr. Sil\a was married 
to Miss Anna A. Lacev, a native of Chicago and the daughter of John 
F. Laccy. One son, Morgan P., Jr., now tweKe years of age. has 
blessed the union. Mr. Sil\a belongs to the Chamber of Commerce, 
the Merchants Association, the Flks and the Knights of Pythias. 

WALTFR A. SlIFTTFL 

In no matter, perhaps, has Pomona, a city widely famf)us both 
as a center of trade and a place of residence, been more successful 
than in the large number of her men and women of afiairs who, not 
satisfied with their own prosperity, have labored long and assiiluoush' 
to advance the best interests of the town which gave them so gener- 
ously of her patronage and support. Prominent among those thus 
contributing to "boost" the \'al!ev ami its flourishing municipalitv. is 
Walter A. Shettel, the secretary and treasurer of the Orange Ik-It 
Fmporium, and a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the 
Merchants Association, tlistinguished for his live-wire activity. 

He was born in .Midtllebury, Flkhart County. Ind., on September 
15, 1882, and there attended the public schools, enjoying such aihan- 
tages as Imliana has long been noteil I'or. His father carrieil on a 
general merchandise busine<'= ■•■ •'^■- place, ami in time Walter entered 



812 I11ST( )\<\ AM) I'.K )(•,I^:A1■|I^' 



his father's cni]il()\, aiul grew up in the business, thereh\- gaining a 
thorough knowleiige ot merchandising. 

Coming to Pomona in 1910, Mr. Shettel liought an interest in 
the Orange Belt Emporium, which is now the hirgest department store 
in the Pomona \ alley, conductetl uniler the presidency ol B. Chaffey 
Shepherd, and re\ie\ved elsewhere in this historical work. Mr. 
Shettel serxes as both secretai-y and treasi.u"er, ant! as the buyer of the 
tirm, must be credited with much of the establishment's superiority as 
the great trade center of J'omona and vicinity. This en\ iable relation 
to one of the most attractive communities in all California has devel- 
oped to the highest Mr. Siiettei's natural disposition to take an active 
part in local civic and commercial life, ami whenever any worthy 
movement is set afoot for the improvement or growth of the city, he 
is sure to be among the first invited to cooperate or to lead. 

Mr. Shettel was married at Middlebury. Ind., in 1904, his hritle 
being Miss Jennie Roth, also a native of Indiana; and one daughter, 
Maxine, born at Pomona, has blessed the union. 



CHARLES H. ALTER, D. D. S. 

An example of what ability and ambition, coupled with judicious 
choice, can accomplish, is afforded in Charles H. Alter, D. D. S., who 
availed himself of the splendid opportunity open for the establishment 
of a dental office in the active and growing city of Pomona. 

A stranger when he came to this city in 191.^, he has been build- 
ing up a large and lucrative practice in dentistry since that date. His 
well equipped suite of offices is locateil In the Investment Buikling, and 
he is recognized as a leader in his profession. A native of Pittsburgh, 
Pa., he was born In the Smoky City, May 18, 1878, and was educated 
in the public schools. When a small boy he accompanied his parents 
when they removed to California in 1890, locating in Garvanza. and 
after three years sojourn there, they moved to Colorado and settleil 
on a ranch. Charles returned to Pittsburgh, Pa., where he grad- 
uated from the Pittsburgh Dental College in 1901. In 1900, one 
year before graduating, he openeti an office in Pittsburgh, where he 
continued to practice dentistry until 1904, when the call of the West 
caused him to return to the Colorado ranch, where he remained until 
1913. His choice then fell upon Pomona as a fair field in which to 
continue the practice of his profession, and his good judgment has 
been demonstrated in the success he has attained. 

His marriage united him with Miss Helen Kissell, a native of 
Hoboken, N. [., and they are the parents of two children, Ruth Eliz- 
abeth, born In Colorado, and Mary Edna, a tlaughter of the Golden 
West, born at Pomona. In his religious associations, Doctor Alter is a 
member of Trinity Methodist Church at Pomona, and fraternally he 



lllSli )IO AM) I'.K H.RAI'IIN S13 

.iffiliates with the Pomona Masonic I-oiIilJc-. lie is a member of the 
Los Angeles County Dental Association, arul a memher ami secretary 
and treasurer of the Iri-Counties Dental Association, which com- 
prises a part of Los Angeles County, Kisersitlc ami San Bernariiino 
counties, and a part of San Diego Counts. During the war he was a 
member of the tiental examining board of I'omona district. 



JAMi-.S SIWKIk IJINM I I' 

Horn at Sherburne, \. V., on .May 7, 1879, James Starl< Bennett 
is the son of Cieorge Cakier and I''!la }. (Stark) Bennett. Ihc fam- 
ily removed to California and settleil at I'omona in 1888, where the 
father died in 1901. His mother is still living and resides at Red- 
lands. .Mr. Bennett acquired his early education in the public schools 
of Pomona, leaving the high school before the holidays of his senior 
year. He graduated from the Preparatory School of I'omona Col- 
lege in 1898, and received his Bachelor's degree from the College in 
190.^. While attending school he was employed by Alden and Mer- 
rill in their retail shoe store at Pomona and in 1900-1901 by Mr. A. 
S. Avery, who succeeded to their business. 

Mr. Bennett entered the Law School of Columbia Lniversity 
in New ^'ork in 190.3 and added to his education by teaching Knglish 
to foreigners in the city night schools. In 1905 he received the .Mas- 
ter of Arts degree from the laculty of Political Science at Columbia 
and his law degree the following year. He was admittetl to the bar 
of New ^'ork on examination in \o\ember, 1905, and to that o( 
California on motion, July, 1906. During the years of 1906-1909. he 
was employed by the firm of Hunsaker &: Britt, at the L-nd of which 
period he formeti a partnership with .Mr. 1'.. J. Ileining, which was 
dissolved in 1911, when he enterctl a partnership with .Mr. (inrlield 
K. Jones, this continuing until 1914. Since the first of the year 1915 
he has continued in general practice, with offices in the \'an Nuys 
Building, Los Angeles, where he is a member of the City Club, the 
Lniversity Club and -the Chamber of Commerce. Since his marriage 
he has resitled at Pasadena, where he is a member of the Cauldron 
Club, the Neighborhood Club and Board of Trade, i le is also a 
member of the Political Science Club of Columbia Lniversity, of the 
Sierra Club, of the Los Angeles Bar .Association, and the Pasadena 
I ournament of Roses Association. In politics he prefers to be a con- 
sultant and has never held public office, with the exception of tilling 
a temporary vacancy as city attorney of i'asadena in 191.3. 

On October 8. 1907. Mr. Bennett married .Miss Lthelwynn 
Foote of Pasadena, the daughter of Charles R. and Sarah Frances 
(Cole) Foote. and they have four daughters, Louise, Caroline, Con- 
stance and Margaret, and one son, Kollin. 

41 



S14 lIISTom' AM) l',l( )C,RAriIV 

FREDERICK A. BLATZ 

Among all the successful men wlio ha\e toLUu] in I'oniona and 
its unrixalcd \ alley the finest field for the exercise of their respecti\e 
talents or genius, no one is more interesting, both as to his personality 
and his life story, than Frederick A. Blatz, the contracting interior 
decorator and paper hanger. Me was born in New York Citv on 
February 18, 1867, ot German parents who, with a deep appreciation 
of the great benefits of education, ga\-e him every opportunity within 
their means. On l-Y-bruary 18, 1880, when thirteen years of age, he 
made a winter trip to California with his parents, and they traveled 
by stage from Sao Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara, and thence through 
Ventura to Los Angeles, which was at that time a small town. Lie 
recalls the trip \ery clearly, with the many interesting experiences 
and the sights by the way. The Southern Pacific Railroad had just 
been built down through the ]\)mona \'alley, and they took the trip 
through the promising region on the train. Nearly all the \'alley was 
covered with sagebrush and cactus, cattle and antelope, although water 
was scarce, and in many places was hauled to the town from cars on 
the railroad. 

Returning to New York City, I'"rederick finished his studies and 
learned telegraphy, studying nights, after which, for five years, he 
served as train dispatcher on the New York Central, at the Grand 
Central station. Later, he was with the New "^'ork, New Haven & 
Hartford Railroad in the same capacity, and wherever he served, 
there he gave the best of himself, to the satisfaction of all concerned. 

In 1905, Mr. Blatz came to California to li\e, and soon after 
entered the employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad as inspector on 
the road. He traveled all over the state and Arizona inspecting the 
automatic block signals, as well as their batteries, and during the six 
years that he was in this ser\ice, he was often accompanied bv his 
eldest son, Edgar P. Blatz. They traveled on a motor car on the 
railroad, and during these trips explored many mountains and much 
desert land, hLinting and fishing and prospecting for water. In the 
North they explored the Mt. Lassen range when, mounted on pack 
horses, they pushed fifty-five miles back from the railroad; they shot 
deer and caught trout in the mountain streams, so that in time they 
caught fish in nearl\' all the streams from the northern to the southern 
end of California. 

They would tra\el Irom fifty to one hundred miles a day on the 
railroad motor car, and coming south they fished and prospected and 
hunted in the Santa Cruz iMountains. They tried to find the famous 
white deer, which was later shot by another hunter. In the south 
they explored the San Jacinto Range of mountains, and especially 



HISTORY AM) I'.K )C,kAl'IIV S13 

oKl Ciray Back Mi)untain. I licy were all tliroui^li the tlesert in the 
Bcaiiinont ilistrict ami saw all the (.ievelopniciit troni barley liekls to 
orchards. With Mr. Sutherlainl nt the water departriient of the 
Southern I'acitic Railway, they prospectcii tor water lor the railroad, 
trying to (imi a natural water supply in the San Jacinto Raiij^e. 

In 1'>1I, .Mr. Blat/. resigned troin the railroad ser\ice, and on 
account ot its climate, its tine soil, water anti home conditions ami 
educational ad\antajj;es ami churches, he elected i^omona as a place 
of residence. He had learned the traiie ot an interior dect>rator ami 
paper hanger as a lioy, at his father's retjuest, since his father thought 
it best for him to ha\e a trade, and with A. 1'.. l^elton as a partner, 
he bought out the paint and wall paper store of W. A. N'andegrift. 
Later, he sold out his interest, ami since then he has done contract 
interior decorating and paper hanging, decorating many of the tinest 
residences in Pomona, aiiiong them being the home of D. C Crook- 
shank, Cieneral Belcher, J. M. Booth and Dr. K. V,. Kelly. In such 
contracts as these his qualities as a natural artist come to the fore. 

On July 2.3, 1892, at .Mt. \'ernon. N. Y., Mr. Blatz was married 
to Miss Jennie C. Steele, a native of White Plains, N. Y., and a 
daughter of the Rev. R. B. Steele, a Yale College graduafe and a 
Presbyterian minister of that city. Through this family connection, 
Mrs. Blatz is a direct descendant of the Huguenots, and also of (jen- 
cral Porter and Louis Morris, one of the signers of the Declaration 
of Independence. She is a member of the l!astern Star Lodge of 
Pomona, and of the Presbyterian Church, although Mr. Blatz belongs 
to the Episcopal Church. 

Se\en children ha\ e blessed this unusually happy marriag,:. 
Edgar 1^. Blatz, now deceased, served for three years in the National 
Guard, and was with them in the Mexican troubles on the bonier. 
He was promoted from sergeant to lieutenant of infantry in the World 
War, ami was an instructor in the Western cantonments in the use of 
the tamous Browning machine gun. He was also an expert shot with 
the riHe. Later, he was transferred to the a\iation corps ami was in 
command of the tirst Ail-American squadron of fliers; but he was 
taken ill and died at Fort Bayard, October 14, 1918. He was a ca- 
pable soldier, had a thorough knowledge of military matters, and could 
well have been expected to be heard from; the squaiiron which he 
commanded went overseas, and only two out of twenty-four came back. 
A second son, Alfred, is the manager of the I'acitic long distance 
telephone office at Long Beach. He was a member of the lorty- 
eighth Field Artillery, but did not reach 1 ranee. A third son, Clar- 
ence, is the manager of the Exchange's marmalade house in I'omona, 
while the other children are HaroKI, .Maxwell, .Margaret ami Harrv. 



816 • IIISTOin" AXn I'.IOCk M'llV 

C. RAI.rH CI.AKK 

A successor to his father as proprietor ol Clark's Bakery, C. 
Ralph Chirk was born in Des Moines. Iowa, Xoxeinber .^0, 1883. 
1 le received his education in the pubHc and high school of Pomona, 
and took a business college coui-se in Los Angeles. On finishing his 
schooling, he was with his father in the bakery antl restaurant for a 
time, then bought the Idyllwild candy store, which he ran for a short 
time, then sold and returned to be with his father. With his brother, 
I'rank. he bought out his father's business, in 191.^, both bakery and 
restaurant, in 1914, bought his brother's interest in the bakery, then, 
in 1917, sold his interest in the restaurant and now gi\es all his time 
to the proper management of Clark's Bakery', a hrst-class establish- 
ment and well on a par with the up-to-the-minutj biisiness establish- 
ments for which I'omona is noteil, emplosing se\ en people, with aikled 
employees at busy seasons. 

I he marriage of Ralph Clark unitetl him with .Miss .M\'rtle 1. 
Rose, of Pomona, the ceremony taking place June 4. 1906, and one 
child has been born to them, Kathryn Lucille. 

Besides his business interests, Mr. Clark dexotes his time to 
orange growing, owning his own gro\-e in the \'alley. An energetic 
and public-spirited man, he takes an acti\'e interest in the growth and 
expansion of Pomona, and can be relieti upon to do his share in all 
movements that have for their object the best interests of the \'alley. 
Fraternally he is a member of the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, 
the Elks, and the i'raternal Brotherhood. J\)iiticallv he adheres to 
the Republican part\ tenets. 



jp:ri-; c. bowden 

Automobiling is a popular pastime in Southern California. The 
salubrious climate, fine roads and scenic beauties are conduci\x to the 
interests of the auto business, and thousands of automobiles of every 
size and description are used, and many houses haxe been establisheil 
for handling the \arious popular makes of electric and gasoline cars. 
Jere C. Bowden. the genial sales manager for the C. R. May Com- 
pany, Pomona \'alley agents for the Buick and Reo autos. and General 
Motor Trucks, was born at Springfield. Mo.. December IS. 1888. 
He was a lad eight years of age when he came to California with his 
parents in 1896, ami his fundamental education was acquired in the 
I\)mona public schools. He graduated from the Long Beach high 
school in 19()7, attended Stanford L'niversity for a short time, and 
was then sent out on a goNcrnment sur\-eying expedition. In 1908 he 
engaged in geological survey for the United States Government in 
Xorthern and Central California, following the \ocation three years. 



lIISTOkV AND UK K'.RAl'IIV «1/ 

Irorn 1911 to 1916, lie was in the employ ol' the San Diinas Quarry 
Company, the last two years of that time beiiifr in charge ot the com- 
pany's plant. This company got out rock for buiKling boule\ariis 
in Southern California. In 1916, .Mr. Bosyden engageJ in the auto- 
mobile business. He is one of the rising young business men ot I'o- 
mona N'alley, is thoroughly \erscd in the automobile business and 
energetic and enthusiastic over the cars he handles. He is a line sales- 
man and is meeting with the success in his business that is his just due. 
By his marriage he was united with Miss Kuth Martin, a natiye 
of San Dimas, and two children have been born of their union, Wil- 
liam and I'.li/abeth. I'raternally, .Mr. Bowden is associated with the 
San Dimas Lodge of F. & .\. .M. and the B. P. O. 1'.. Lodge at 



Kov II, c.\Kri:K 

Among the erticient boosters of i^omona N'alley, who have worked 
for the advancement of all the best interests of this highly favored 
region, is Roy H. Carter, the proprietor of the motor agency at Sec- 
ond and I'arcells streets, Pomona. He was born in 1 lendricks County. 
Ind., on October 16, 1884. and was reared in a farming district where 
he attended the usual country schools. Later, he topped oft his studies 
at the high school at Plaintield, Ind., and soon atter located in In- 
dianapolis, where he took up newspaper work on the Iiidiciiuipolis 
Juuriutl. 

Then he went to Chicago and entered the employ (jf the Chicago 
Binder and File Company, manufacturers of loose-leaf ledgers, and 
there he had his tirst experience in salesmanship, traveling on the 
road, broadening his knowledge of human nature, and getting familiar 
with business methoils on a large scale. Arriving in Pasadena, in 
1908, he embarked in the real-estate business; but ten years after- 
ward he saw the broader field to be developcti in the automotive indus- 
try ami removeii to Pomona. 

Here, with I reil C. Trickey, he started in the automobile trade 
in the Overland Ciarage; and on New dear's Day, 1919, he estab- 
lished for himselt the R. H. Carter .Motor Agency. He was ap- 
pointed agent for the Cadillac and Nash cars, the Moreland truck 
and the Case tractor, and fortune smiletl on him from the tirst. His 
success in particular in selling the Cailillac led its company to enlarge 
his territory, which now extends from the San (jabriel Ri\ cr to Wine- 
ville. He also sold more .Moreland trucks in the past six months in 
the N'allcy than did the agents of all other trucks combined; and since 
three trucks yearly was the average of sales in the N'alley before he 
accepted the agency, his accomplishment in selling over $70,()()U worth 
of that popular make in the first half year of 1919 speaks f<»r itself. 



818 friSTORV AM) UK )C,RAIM IV 

It is interestiiijr t,, knmv th;it Mr. Carter's choice of Pomona as 
the best place in which to locate in the automobile business was made 
only after he had looked well over the entire state. He preferred 
Pomona on account of its central location, the rich territory adjoining, 
and the city's growing trade; and because he had great confidence in 
the \'allev and its future. As might be expected, having once cast 
his lot here, he has become very active in both the Chamber of Com- 
merce and the .Merchants" Association. 

At Pasadena on May 12, 1915, Mr. Carter was married to Miss 
Dorothy Hartman, a native of Michigan and the daughter of Carrol 
S. Hartman, formerly of (irand Rapids. .Mrs. Carter has always 
been the center of a circle of admiring friends, and shares with her 
husband his enthusiasm for Pomona \'alle\-. 



FRANK CATKLLI 

The proprietor of the San Dimas I^ancy Bakery, a business he 
established, Frank Catelli was born in the city of Lucca, near Florence, 
Italy, May 3rd, 1884, and was reared on his father's farm and 
received a good education in the excellent schools of his nati\e place. 
Having heard of the opportunities that awaited young men in the land 
of the Stars and Stripes, he resolved, when sixteen years of age, to 
migrate to America; so May 13, 1901, he arrived in New York City, 
and three months later he made his way to Providence, R. I., where he 
apprenticed himself to the baker's trade, beginning with a salary of 
seven dollars a week, and at the end of two years he was receiving 
fourteen dollars a week. Next we find him In Boston earning eighteen 
dollars a week until he started in business in a partnership in New 
Bedford, Mass., but eighteen months later, having heard gratifying 
reports from California, he came to Los Angeles, April, 1910, and 
immediately found employment in the Franco-American Bakery at 
twenty dollars a week, resigning to accept the position of superintend- 
ent of the Fancy Bakery in Long Beach, receiving twenty-four dollars 
a week and expenses. This position he filled. satisfactorily for a period 
of three years and only resigned to remove to Tonopah, New, where 
he was superintendent of a bakery, receiving a salary of $110 a 
month and expenses. However, the climate of California appealed 
to him so strongly that in eighteen months he resigned to return to 
the Coast. In 1917 he came to Pomona, where he was employed at 
his trade. He was made a citizen of the L'nited States in Los Angeles 
in 1918, and responded to the draft and was accepted and called out, 
when the armistice was signed and he was not needed for service. 

In January, 1919, he established the San Dimas Fancy Bakery, 
to which he gives all of his time and best efforts, and is meeting with 
deserving success. 



H b 



7« '^ 









%.^ /-^'^'. ^/ .>,v<, u^^^ :^^^ \/ / 



•^^ 











•-?i«i^^„,^% ■»• /^ ^^^ o'"^ -SiR- /% ^^-^ .^- 
•.^^'% v^s*.- /\ --.^.v^:- -i>''% '-.W.- /% ■•-^l«5^" 's*""-^ •-><,• 






/"TV 

P£?* R MANCHESTi 
INDIANA 



3 



